Equipment

Komatsu Unveils Its Largest-Ever Hydraulic Excavator

Built for ultra-class mining, the excavator moves over 80 tons per pass.

Updated on

July 3, 2026

Komatsu PC9000-12 ultra-class hydraulic mining excavator launched for the global market. — The PC9000-12, has been launched on the worldwide market. PHOTO | KOMATSU

Komatsu has launched its flagship hydraulic excavator, the PC9000-12, and is rolling it out globally, including in North America, after the first unit was deployed in Canada last year.

“The nearly 2-million-pound behemoth gets the largest bucket capacity, longest reach, and highest digging power in the Komatsu PC lineup.”

Built for bulk earthmoving at an industrial scale, the machine is designed to load ultra-class haul trucks at speed. Komatsu says it can move more than 80 tons per pass and load a 400-ton Suncor Energy Komatsu 980E truck in under three minutes, equivalent to about 8,000 tons per hour.

The first unit entered service at Suncor’s oil sands mine in Alberta in May 2025, operated through Komatsu’s Canadian dealer SMS Equipment.

The machine was manufactured in Germany and transported in 31 separate sections, covering an 8,700-mile journey by sea, river and road before being assembled on site over six weeks.

“Our team has already gained valuable hands-on experience with the PC9000, and we’re looking forward to helping customers successfully integrate the machine into their operations to get the most out of its capabilities,” says Dennis Chmielewski, executive VP of mining at SMS Equipment.

The PC9000-12 is based on Komatsu’s previous flagship, the PC8000, but brings additional scale and weight, coming in roughly 145 tons heavier. It can be configured either as a front shovel or backhoe, depending on site requirements.

Beyond its size, Komatsu says the machine is part of a bigger move in mining to work more efficiently and use more automation.

The excavator can be powered by diesel or electric power and integrated with Komatsu’s FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System, allowing coordination with autonomous trucks on site.

Komatsu views the PC9000 as shaping the future of mining because of its ability to “move more material while lowering overall cost per ton.”

Komatsu targets efficiency and operator comfort, with under-30-second cycles, durable components, 2,000-hour servicing, and about 25 hours per tank.

Noise in the cab is reduced to 71 dB(A), with cleaner air, climate control, and 360-degree visibility, while KomVision shows everything around the machine.

Despite its complexity, Komatsu is keeping customer guidance simple at the point of entry: “Komatsu advises customers to check with their Komatsu dealers for details.”

With its combination of scale, automation capability and efficiency-focused engineering, the PC9000-12 signals where ultra-class mining equipment is heading next: fewer machines doing more work, faster, and with increasing integration into autonomous systems.