Demag AC 45 City

In late 2017, Terex/Demag reintroduced their legendary City class cranes with the launch of the Demag AC 45 City, marking the return of a series that had been discontinued in 2014. The original City class began with the AC 25 in 1997, followed by the immensely popular AC 40 City in 1998, which sold over 1,000 units and earned the title “Crane of the Year.” The AC 45 City was developed as the next step in this line, with more than 80 percent of its components redesigned or improved, including a new operator’s cab and engine.

Compactness is at the heart of the AC 45 City’s design. With an overall length of just 8.68 meters, width of 2.55 meters, and height reducible to under three meters, it is the most compact crane in its 45-tonne class. Its 7.8-meter short base boom section allows it to operate effectively indoors and in spaces with limited headroom—ideal for jobs like assembling overhead cranes. The fully hydraulic 31.2-meter main boom means the crane can quickly begin work without pinning, reducing setup time significantly.

For even greater flexibility, the AC 45 City offers offsettable main boom extensions of 7.10 meters or 13 meters, increasing system length to 44.2 meters. The crane also supports a 1.3-meter-long runner for loads up to 25 tonnes, a three-sheave hook block for six-part reeving, and additional features such as an axle load indicator, hook height indicator, cruise control, cameras for monitoring hook, hoist, and backing up, as well as remote radio control and integrated storage boxes.

One of the crane’s standout features is the innovative IC-1 Plus control system, which calculates real-time lifting capacity for every boom position and slew angle. This system allows the crane to use its maximum possible capacity at specific positions, rather than being limited by the lowest 360° capacity. It also offers advanced features like automatic counterweight detection, smart working range display within ±30° slew angle, and continuous outrigger position monitoring. This makes it possible to perform lifts usually reserved for larger cranes, particularly with asymmetrical outrigger configurations.

Designed for road transport efficiency, the AC 45 City remains under 12-tonne axle load limits with full equipment at 34 tonnes total weight. When using reduced counterweight, it even falls below the 10-tonne axle load limit, and with no counterweight, it weighs just 26 tonnes—enabling a permanent transport permit if needed.

Its MTU engine delivers 260 kW and meets Euro Mot 4 standards, offering six forward and one reverse gear through an automated manual transmission. A start/stop crane operation function ensures fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly performance.

Altogether, the AC 45 City combines compactness, advanced engineering, and innovative control features to handle confined space lifting jobs more efficiently than any previous generation—cementing its place as the latest evolution of Demag’s iconic City class cranes.