Serial entrepreneur Steve Hornyak is the CEO for Turntide Technologies. Here he tells us why off-road equipment can’t afford to wait for full electrification
The electrification conversation in off-highway equipment has become frustratingly binary. You’re either all-in on full electric, or you’re stuck burning diesel. But this black-and-white thinking is costing the industry millions in fuel costs, emissions, and competitive advantage while we wait for battery technology to catch up with some of the use cases for heavy machinery.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: full electrification of construction, mining, and agricultural equipment is still years away from being possible for all areas. Battery costs or packaging space can be challenging for applications, and in many situations, the charging infrastructure simply isn’t there yet. Meanwhile, every day we delay action, we’re haemorrhaging fuel costs and falling behind on emissions targets.
While everyone is waiting for the perfect electric solution, the smart operators are already cutting their fuel bills by 20 to 40 percent through strategic hybridisation. They’re not replacing their diesel engines; they’re making them work smarter.
The concept is elegantly simple: pair a smaller, more efficient diesel engine with a compact electric motor that can provide instant torque, regenerative braking, and power augmentation. The diesel handles the baseload; the electric motor handles the peaks, and both work together to deliver more power while burning significantly less fuel.
This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky technology. It’s happening right now across multiple sectors, from marine applications where hybrid systems are enabling smaller boats to achieve greater range and power, to construction equipment where manufacturers are replacing hydraulic systems with electric alternatives that slash operating costs.
The Retrofit Revolution
Here’s where it gets interesting: you don’t need to scrap your existing fleet to benefit from hybridisation. The right electric motor technology can be retrofitted into existing equipment without requiring a complete redesign of the vehicle architecture.
I’ve sat in enough boardrooms where the conversation goes something like this: “We’d love to go electric, but we can’t justify reengineering our entire product line and retooling our manufacturing.”
Fair enough. But what if they didn’t have to?
The key is using axial flux motors that fit into existing spaces. When you can drop a hybrid system inline between the engine and transmission without changing the chassis, suspension, or frame, you’ve eliminated the domino effect of costs that typically kills electrification projects before they start.
Off-highway manufacturers need solutions today to help construction and other off-highway operators. They’re dealing with rising fuel costs, tightening emission regulations, and increasing pressure to reduce noise in urban environments. They can’t wait years for the perfect solution. Manufacturers need to supply a workable one now.
This is why the smart money is focusing on niche, off-highway markets where decision-making is faster and the pain points are more acute. Manufacturers can move from concept to production in 12 months to 24 months.
Let me put this in terms that matter: return on investment. In most hybrid applications, we’re seeing payback periods of one to two years, not the seven-year to 10-year horizons that kill most capital equipment proposals.
The math is simple: if you’re burning less fuel, your operating expenses drop immediately. In remote mining operations where fuel must be transported in, the savings can be dramatic. In marine applications, we’re seeing operators achieve greater range with smaller fuel tanks, fundamentally changing vessel economics. In many cases, the upfront capital cost is minimal. When manufacturers are downsizing the diesel engine and adding an electric motor, they are often looking at cost parity or close to it. The real savings come in the operational phase.
The infrastructure reality check
Try finding charging infrastructure for agricultural equipment during harvest season. The infrastructure simply doesn’t exist yet and won’t be universally present for years. Hybrid systems sidestep this problem. They use the existing fuel infrastructure while dramatically reducing consumption. They’re the bridge systems that allow for operating cost and emission reductions now rather than waiting for the infrastructure to catch up.
Noise reduction is something that doesn’t make it into the fuel savings calculations but is increasingly important. Hybrid systems can operate in electric-only mode for low-speed manoeuvring, dramatically reducing noise levels on construction sites. This isn’t just about being a good neighbour. It’s about productivity. Worker fatigue from constant noise exposure is a real cost. Equipment that can operate more quietly during certain phases of operation creates a better work environment and, ultimately, higher productivity.
The future of off-highway equipment isn’t full electric or nothing. It’s a pragmatic progression: hybrid today, full electric when it works for the industry and use case. The manufacturers who understand this are already gaining competitive advantages by providing lower operating costs and improved equipment performance for operators.
The question isn’t whether to electrify. It’s whether to progress toward it now or wait for perfection. Smart manufacturers are choosing hybrid systems that deliver immediate return on investment for operators while positioning them for whatever comes next.
Doing nothing in the face of climbing operating costs is an option that nobody should be considering. With hybridisation, the heavy equipment sector can take a big step toward the future of 100% electrification.
