Bigge Crane & Rigging Co. Brings its First All-Electric Crawler Crane to the West Coast

Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. announces the addition of its first all-electric crawler crane, the Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged, to its nationwide fleet of more than 1,800 cranes.
Sept. 30, 2023
3 min read

Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. announces the addition of its first all-electric crawler crane, the Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged, to its nationwide fleet of more than 1,800 cranes. This crawler crane is the first of its type in California or anywhere on the West Coast, Bigge said.

Bigge acquired the all-electric crane to provide an option to its customers for an environmentally conscious heavy-lifting solution. Its electric power train allows the battery-powered crane to be operated indefinitely while connected to shore power or for an average of eight hours when "unplugged."

For customers concerned they will have to make a sacrifice for going electric, the LR 1250.1 unplugged functions the same when plugged in as compared to its diesel counterpart, sporting the same maximum lifting capacity (275 US t), hoisting speed (up to 446 feet per minute), and maximum reach (486 foot). This is a considerable upside for customers looking to reduce their project's carbon footprint without impacting their worksite productivity.

Joe Nelms, vice president & chief business development officer, said, "We have a longstanding, successful relationship with the team at Liebherr and are excited to add their first all-electric crawler crane to our perfect fleet. Bigge's roots have been established in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1916, and we're excited to be a part of California's push for a greener future."

Because of its electric powertrain, the crane features drastically reduced noise emissions while in its working mode (less than 101 dbA), a noise level comparable to that of a household lawnmower or kitchen blender. This makes it a solution for large metropolis areas or other environments particularly sensitive to heightened noise emission levels.

The LR 1250.1 unplugged comes with a newly redesigned cab with optimized visibility and enhanced lift assistance systems.

Bigge's Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged will be arriving in California in October 2023 and joining its fleet of operated and maintained rental cranes serving the U.S. West Coast.

Visit Bigge's website for more details about the Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged.

Since 1916, Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. has been a premier provider of best-in-class cranes, offering crane rentals, sales, parts, and specialized heavy lift equipment. With headquarters in California and Texas, Bigge operates a strategic network of more than 25 service locations nationwide, ensuring comprehensive logistical and field support throughout the United States.

Bigge Crane & Rigging Co., San Leandro, Calif., is No. 11 on the RER 100.

About the Author

Michael Roth

Editor

Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.

Sign up for Rental Equipment Register Newsletters