SOUTHEAST ASIA CONSTRUCTION19 Sep 2024
AUSA goes greener, becomes part of Oshkosh

The last two years have seen AUSA launch its electric range. Among them include the D101AEA and D101AEA Compact electric dumpers, which were unveiled in 2023, featuring a 1,000 kg payload and a front and high-tip skip.

These two models share the same platform, but their optimal operating conditions provide different options. The D101AEA is a narrow dumper (108 cm) that is suitable for small municipal works where there is very little room to manoeuvre, such as trenching and small landscaping jobs. Meanwhile, the D101AEA Compact is equipped with small 12-in wheel rims that reduce the overall width of the machine to just 100 cm. This enables the dumper to fit through building and residential doors, making it a perfect choice for indoor demolition work.

Both machines have a battery pack with a maximum power of 19.6 kW and a torque of 130 Nm, allowing them to tackle any terrain and match the performance of a diesel dumper. The lithium-ion batteries have a capacity of 9.3 kWh and can be charged from 20% to 80% in just two hours by plugging them directly into a 230 V mains socket, or in one hour with an external fast charger.

In addition, the D151AEG electric dumper and T164E electric telehandler were introduced in 2022, offering a payload of 1,500 kg and 1,600 kg respectively. The T164E also has a maximum lift of 4 m.

The D151AEG comes with a battery capacity of up to 12.4 kWh, a 7.6 kW electric motor with a maximum peak of 19.6 kW, and permanent 4WD with excellent all-terrain capabilities. Whenever necessary, the machine can be connected directly to the mains or a generator with the cable included in the vehicle. The battery can charge from 20% to 80% in just two hours when charging at 230 V.

The T164E electric telehandler delivers a power of 8.6 kW, with a peak of 21.2 kW, giving it strength and all-terrain capabilities for working on difficult surfaces and gradients of up to 32%. The machine can also be charged by connecting the integrated cable to the mains or a generator, going from a charge of 20% to 80% in just three hours and 15 minutes at a power of 230 V.

AUSA’s entire electric range has been designed in such a way that each machine can operate for at least one intense shift.

Global presence

Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, AUSA was originally founded in 1956 by four friends who established an organisation called Automóviles Utilitarios Sociedad Anónima (AUSA) to realise their dream: the production of a microcar under the PTV brand, whose name came from the initials of its founders’ surnames. They were mass produced and 1,100 units were sold up to 1961.

It was later decided to reinvent the business and start to produce dumpers for the construction sector. In 1967, AUSA introduced the world’s first all-terrain forklift, the CE 800, with a lifting capacity of 800 kg.

With the clear aim of continuing to expand the business and avoid dependence on the Iberian market, the company took a step forward and opened a subsidiary in Perpignan, France in 1969, which marked the beginning of the internationalisation of AUSA.

Today, AUSA manufactures a wide range of compact all-terrain equipment aimed at the residential and civil construction industry, road networks, and for the transportation and handling of industrial and agricultural materials.

The company has more than 600 dealers worldwide and six global subsidiaries – in Madrid (Spain), the UK, Germany, France, the US and China. It has a production capacity of up to 12,000 machines per year, with 70% of the production being exported.

In the Asian region, AUSA is present across several countries. For example, its D100AHA and D350AHG dumpers have been involved in a number of residential construction projects in Singapore.

The D100AHA has a 1,000 kg payload and is only 1.10 m wide, making it ideal for minor construction work in urban areas and buildings being refurbished. Its permanent 4x4 drive allows the machine to handle the toughest terrains. The D350AHG, with a 3,500 kg payload, features a 180-degree swing skip. This machine’s hydrostatic transmission ensures maximum comfort and safety.

In May 2024, the US-based Oshkosh Corporation announced that an agreement was reached to acquire AUSA. The latter will be part of the Oshkosh Access segment. Both companies began working together through a partner agreement in 2020, with AUSA manufacturing the JLG-branded SkyTrak 3013 compact telehandler.

Through this latest acquisition, AUSA products will enhance the JLG line of telehandlers, as well as Hinowa tracked dumpers and forklifts to strengthen the Oshkosh Access segment’s portfolio of equipment.

AUSA pointed out that this major partnership will create a synergy between the two companies, “enabling us to further expand our footprint and reinforce our position in the global market.”

Note: SEAC visited AUSA’s facility in June 2024, as part of a press event organised by ANMOPYC in collaboration with ICEX (the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade). This story has also been published in the Sept/Oct 2024 issue of SEAC (with more images). Click here to read it online or here to download the PDF file, on pages 62-63.