Operating costs · 23-tonne class
Diesel or electric? Do the maths.
We have compared one of the most widespread 23-tonne diesel excavators on the market – from a well-known Swedish premium manufacturer with the characteristic yellow machines – with SANY's battery-electric SY215E. Same weight class, same work, two different drivelines.
Side by side
Two machines in the same class
| Diesel23-tonne, Swedish premium | ElectricSANY SY215E | |
|---|---|---|
| Driveline | Diesel, Stage V (with AdBlue) | Electric – 422 kWh LFP battery |
| Operating weight | 20.7–26.1 t | 23.2 t |
| Power | 129 kW | 150 kW |
| Bucket capacity | 0.46–1.44 m³ | 1.1 m³ |
| Max. digging depth | 6,730 mm | 6,255 mm |
| Max. reach | 9,930 mm | 10,280 mm |
| Local emissions | CO₂, NOx and particulates | None |
| Noise level | – | 70 dB(A) |
The diesel machine's data are the manufacturer's own published figures for the current European Stage V version. SY215E: SANY Europe.
Calculator
What does an operating hour cost?
| Per year | Diesel | SY215E |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel / electricity | – | – |
| AdBlue | – | 0 DKK |
| Total | – | – |
- Saving over 5 years
- –
- CO₂ from diesel avoided per year
- –
- Payback time for the price premium
- Enter price premium
How we calculated
Conservative assumptions – in favour of diesel
Energy consumption: 15 litres of diesel and 50 kWh of electricity per hour is SANY Northern Europe's example calculation for the SY215E and an equivalent diesel machine. Actual consumption depends on the task and the operator.
Diesel price: DKK 14.90/l excl. VAT corresponds to the Danish average price of €2.50/l incl. VAT in October 2026.
Electricity price: DKK 1.50/kWh excl. VAT is deliberately set high. The spot price averaged DKK 0.61/kWh in 2025, and the Danish electricity tax has been reduced to DKK 0.008/kWh in 2026 and 2027. The rest covers grid tariff, subscription and charging on site.
Maintenance: Not included in the calculation. SANY states over 50 % lower maintenance costs for the SY215E, so the real saving is typically greater than shown.
CO₂: Approx. 2.6 kg CO₂ per litre of diesel. The CO₂ emissions of the electricity depend on the energy mix and are not included.
- 15 l/tDiesel consumption, default value
- 50 kWh/hElectricity consumption, default value
- 14.90 DKKPer litre of diesel excl. VAT
- 1.50 DKKPer kWh excl. VAT, incl. grid tariff
Would you like the figures for your own fleet?
We run the numbers on your jobs – and on the power for the site.
Send us your operating hours and current consumption, and we will make a specific calculation – including container charging solutions from 36 to 4,624 kWh if there is no power on site.
Sources and disclaimers
- The manufacturer's European product page for the 23-tonne excavator (weight, power, bucket, digging depth, reach, Stage V)
- SANY Europe: SY215E – technical data
- SANY Northern Europe: SY215E – example calculation with approx. 50 kWh/h for the electric machine and approx. 15 l/h for an equivalent diesel machine
- Diesel price Denmark, week 42 2026: €2.50/l incl. VAT (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin)
- Danish Tax Agency: electricity tax reduced to DKK 0.008/kWh in 2026 and 2027
- Green Power Denmark via DOI: average spot price DKK 0.61/kWh in 2025
The calculation is indicative and based on the manufacturers' published data and the stated assumptions. Actual costs depend on the task, operator, energy prices and service agreement. Purchase price, depreciation, insurance and charging infrastructure are not included unless you enter a price premium yourself.
Local distributor
Talk to us about SANY.
AE Maskiner ApS is your contact for SANY in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.