Earlier this year, three companies came together to “showcase the construction site of the future.” Liebherr demonstrated the power of their prototype large wheel loader (the L 566 H) at a gravel plant in Munich, where it loaded trucks from MAN and Daimler. All three machines are powered by hydrogen engines, operating largely CO2-free and setting new standards for sustainable construction site logistics.
“What makes it special is that our wheel loader can be used in exactly the same way as a conventional diesel machine,” says Hans Knapp, head of the Pre-Development and Drive Technology Department at Liebherr. “No special deployment planning is required, as the wheel loader can work a full shift and be ready again after a quick refueling of just 10-15 minutes.”
The company has released few details about the L 566 H, but says it is based on its diesel L 566 wheel loader. Liebherr first unveiled the L 566 H prototype and an in-house hydrogen filling station in Austria in Summer 2024 and presented it in Germany at 2025 Bauma, the world’s largest construction equipment trade show. The loader is just one of several hydrogen-powered models the company is testing.
Read more: