Bobcat brings electric compact excavators to North America

Doosan Bobcat has entered a strategic partnership with Green Machine Equipment Inc. to produce electric/hydraulic Bobcat compact excavators for the North American market.

Green Machine, manufacturer of renewable power drive systems, will custom retrofit Bobcat excavators with their proprietary battery technology to replace the standard diesel power source and will sell the machines in select markets beginning this year.

Bobcat says these electric/hydraulic machines are designed to provide the power and performance equivalent to diesel-powered models while offering lower daily operating costs, zero emissions, reduced noise, and minimal maintenance, particularly beneficial to operators working in urban environments close to other buildings or in public spaces.

Launched in 2010, Green Machine, based in New York, US, is a wholly owned subsidiary of alternative energy company Viridi Parente Inc. whose battery packs are used in a variety of markets.

“Through this partnership, we will deliver safer, more cost-effective machines that can provide construction support in nearly any project environment - indoors, outdoors, confined spaces and other applications that traditional fossil-fuel-powered equipment cannot support,” said Jon M. Williams, CEO, Green Machine.

Joel Honeyman, vice president of Global Innovation at Doosan Bobcat, said; ”Electrification is another step forward in our commitment to sustainability, as well as a technology that will allow our customers to work more productively, efficiently and cost effectively.”

The partnership with Green Machine in the US follows the launch in Europe of Bobcat’s new E10e zero tail swing electric mini excavator, produced  at the Dobris factory in the Czech Republic. The first model was delivered to Netherlands-based dealer Inter-Techno, where it is being used for demonstration and rental.

Jarry Fiser, mini excavator product line director at Doosan Bobcat EMEA, commented, “We are very pleased that actual demand is higher than our original expectations and production capacities. The E10e [was] just the start of our journey in further expanding our portfolio in alternative power sources.”

The E10e is powered by a maintenance-free lithium-ion battery that can operate for up to four hours on one overnight charge using a standard 230V socket. It can also be recharged to up to 80% of its capacity with an optional 400V supercharger.

The development of battery technology has coincided with many cities implementing increasingly strict emissions regulations; thus many in the industry see compact electric equipment operating in the town centres of developed countries as the perfect match.There is no doubt the most  popular segment for construction equipment when it comes to electromobility is compact equipment.