Kubota is a diversified manufacturing company based in Japan, specializing in the production and sales of agricultural machinery, construction machinery, and industrial machinery. Since its establishment in 1890, Kubota has been primarily focused on the agricultural machinery sector. In the construction machinery division, they provide products that support efficient operations at construction sites. Additionally, in the industrial machinery division, they offer machinery that enables process automation and energy conservation. Kubota places great emphasis on sustainable development and is committed to technological innovation to contribute to the advancement of agriculture and infrastructure.
Currently, Kubota is undergoing a restructuring of its engine business, with a focus on hydrogen engines. They recently showcased a prototype of a hydrogen engine at the “Construction and Survey Productivity Improvement Exhibition” and gauged the response from construction machinery professionals. Kubota’s approach is not limited to improving fuel efficiency but also emphasizes hybridization and fuel conversion as the fundamental strategies for decarbonizing engines.
Kubota is actively engaged in the development of industrial engines, supplying engines not only for their own agricultural and construction machinery but also for industrial machinery produced by other companies. The decarbonization of engines is a crucial challenge in achieving carbon neutrality (effectively zero greenhouse gas emissions). Kubota’s strategy revolves around improving fuel efficiency, hybridization, and fuel conversion as the key pillars for reshaping their business.
At present, they are dedicated to the development of a 3.8-liter hydrogen-dedicated combustion engine and aim to achieve the practical application of hydrogen-dedicated power generators by utilizing this engine. They anticipate that the product will be available as early as 2025.
Kubota also unveiled the prototype of their hydrogen engine at an industrial exhibition in the United States, receiving positive feedback from visitors. Particularly, construction and civil engineering companies have shown a strong interest in hydrogen and are actively exploring its feasibility. Despite challenges such as abnormal combustion in hydrogen engines, Kubota believes that these issues can be resolved by 2025. They are committed to accelerating development efforts, including conducting independent engine operation experiments, in order to realize the practical application of hydrogen engines.