The KUHN K-CONCEPT combines an 8-metre working reach, 143 hp engine, four-wheel drive and automated boom controls to support efficient roadside, municipal and landscape vegetation maintenance.
Agricultural machinery manufacturer KUHN has expanded its landscape maintenance portfolio with the introduction of the K-CONCEPT, a self-propelled hedge and grass cutting machine designed for local authorities, municipal maintenance teams and agricultural contractors.
Combining a side-mounted articulated boom with versatile front implement mounting options, the K-CONCEPT is engineered to handle a range of vegetation management tasks, including roadside grass cutting, hedge trimming and embankment maintenance.
Its compact manoeuvrability, adjustable working reach and integrated control systems are designed to help operators work efficiently across varied terrain while maintaining visibility and control during demanding maintenance operations.
Articulated Boom Provides Flexible Working Reach
The K-CONCEPT is available with two boom configurations offering working reaches of 7.10 metres and 8.00 metres. Its articulated design allows movement of up to 30 degrees forwards and 80 degrees backwards, supporting access to roadside verges, slopes, embankments and elevated vegetation.
Operators can select between 1.20-metre and 1.60-metre flail cutting heads to suit different vegetation management requirements.
The cutting head is mounted on KUHN’s Motion-Head 180 rotator, which provides 180-degree rotation. This enables cutting in both forward and reverse directions without requiring the vehicle to be repositioned for every change in working direction.
Power is transmitted to the cutting rotor through the Mecadrive mechanical gear-drive system. By replacing a hydraulic motor drive at the cutting head with mechanical power transmission, the system is designed to reduce hydraulic losses and associated heat generation.
Together, these features support flexible operation in restricted spaces and along road networks where frequent changes in cutting direction are required.
Operator Comfort and Enhanced Visibility
Visibility is particularly important when operating a side-mounted boom near traffic, roadside obstacles and elevated vegetation.
The K-CONCEPT features a hydraulically rotating cabin that can turn up to 37 degrees to the right, allowing the operator to adjust their viewing position towards the cutting head.
The cab also incorporates 360-degree glazing and a panoramic glass roof. These features are designed to improve visibility when trimming tall hedges, cutting overhead branches and working with the boom raised.
A suspended cabin assembly further supports operator comfort during extended maintenance shifts, helping accommodate the demands of repetitive cutting operations across uneven ground.
143 hp Engine and Four-Wheel Drive
The K-CONCEPT is powered by a four-cylinder engine rated at 143 hp (105 kW). Permanent four-wheel drive and an electric differential lock support traction when operating on slopes, unpaved verges and uneven terrain.
Four-wheel steering and a compact wheelbase improve manoeuvrability in confined working areas, including narrow road corridors and restricted municipal spaces.
The transmission provides two operating speed ranges:
Working speed: Up to 12 km/h for vegetation maintenance operations.
Road transport speed: Up to 40 km/h for movement between work sites.
Its load-sensing (LS) variable-displacement hydraulic pump adjusts oil delivery according to circuit demand. This approach can reduce unnecessary hydraulic power consumption while supplying the flow required for boom and implement operation.
Intelligent Controls and Automated Functions
The K-CONCEPT incorporates KUHN’s Intuitiv control system, which works with electro-proportional hydraulic valves to provide controlled boom movements.
Automation features include automatic boom retraction into transport cradles, cutting-head suspension and hydraulic float functions designed to absorb shocks and help the cutting head follow ground contours.
Operators can monitor and adjust operating parameters, including working speeds, boom positions and implement angles, through the CCI 60 colour touchscreen terminal.
These controls are intended to simplify machine operation, improve consistency and reduce the demands associated with managing multiple functions simultaneously.
Multi-Implement Capability Expands Versatility
Beyond its primary vegetation cutting function, the K-CONCEPT is designed to accommodate additional front-mounted equipment for broader municipal and landscape maintenance applications.
Available interfaces include a standard DIN equipment mounting plate, a three-point linkage with power take-off (PTO), a dedicated auxiliary hydraulic power circuit and up to five front hydraulic control valves.
These options support the integration of compatible attachments for tasks such as sweeping, branch clearing and front-mounted mowing.
By enabling different implements to be fitted to the same carrier, the machine offers the potential to consolidate multiple maintenance activities within a single equipment platform, depending on the selected configuration.
How the K-CONCEPT Fits into the Market
Self-propelled reach mowers occupy a specialised segment of municipal and roadside maintenance machinery. Working reach, engine output, traction, cabin visibility and implement compatibility are key considerations when selecting equipment for these applications.
With its 143 hp engine and boom options extending to 8 metres, the KUHN K-CONCEPT is positioned for vegetation management tasks that require a combination of reach, manoeuvrability and multi-implement versatility.
Other machines in this category include the Noremat VSV and Energreen ILF series, which offer different configurations for roadside and landscape maintenance. Larger platforms, such as the Energreen ILF Alpha, are designed to provide greater reach for more demanding applications.
The K-CONCEPT’s rotating cabin, four-wheel steering and automated boom functions distinguish its approach to operator visibility and machine control.
For municipalities and contractors, the choice between machines ultimately depends on the required working reach, terrain, attachment needs, operator requirements and total cost of ownership.
Supporting More Efficient Vegetation Maintenance
As road authorities, municipalities and agricultural contractors manage increasingly diverse maintenance requirements, versatile machinery can help streamline operations across roadsides, embankments, hedges and landscaped areas.
The KUHN K-CONCEPT brings together articulated boom technology, mechanical cutting-head drive, four-wheel steering and integrated electronic controls in a dedicated self-propelled platform.
Its combination of working reach, transport capability and front implement compatibility is designed to give operators greater flexibility when maintaining vegetation across varied working environments.
By combining manoeuvrability, operator-focused design and multi-implement capability, the K-CONCEPT aims to make roadside and landscape vegetation management more efficient and adaptable.