Three battery machines plus a remote control

At the same time, Bobcat continues to work on remote machine control and showed the handy MaxControl remote control.

We have not yet been able to see them in Europe due to restrictive travel conditions. However, they were presented earlier this year in the United States, Bobcat's home country. They are three electric concept machines: the E17e, an electric/hydraulic excavator; the S70e, an electric/hydraulic loader; and the T76e, an all-electric loader. The prototypes of these electric machines are described by Bobcat as "ideal for the indoor demolition market." With all the advantages that come with it: 0 % emissions, a long-lasting lithium-ion battery, at least as powerful as comparable diesel models and much less maintenance.

The E10^e by way of example

The now available electric-powered E10e is an approximately 1-ton mini excavator on tracks. Its maintenance-free lithium-ion battery with advanced management system fits inside the standard machine mount, so the machine's Zero Tail profile is maintained. This is important because the machine has a width-extending undercarriage. Retracted, the mini-excavator can enter through a standard door; extended, stability increases considerably. The E10e can work a full 8-hour day by using breaks to recharge the battery. Finally, the E10e has a very low noise level, with an LpA (driver noise level) of only 74 dBA compared to 80 dBA for the standard diesel version. That means a halving of noise levels!

Big brother of E10e

Little specifics are yet known about the E17e prototype. However, we can deduce from the type number that its weight is somewhere between 1,600 and 1,800 kg. As the bigger brother of the E10e, many technical data will be similar, but the drive will be a lot more powerful. It is obvious that a full day's work can be done with the E17e as well. If we look at the diesel version, it still has a telescoping chassis. That makes this powerful electric mini excavator even more suitable for demolition work in buildings.

Real surprise

The real surprise lies in the other two prototypes: the skid steer loaders (skid steers) S70e on tires and T76e on tracks. They are undoubtedly the logical outcome of Bobcat's decades of experience with these types of loaders - but now electrically powered - and we can't wait to see them in action. The S70e is an electro-hydraulic loader and the T76e is to be an all-electric loader.

Both of these machines are also powered by lithium/ion batteries and, as with the mini-excavators, should be able to deliver similar performance to the thermal models, according to Bobcat.

MaxControl remote control

Whereas until recently we were standing in front of the belly with a huge device to remotely control a machine, from now on it can be done with a device the size of a smartphone. The Bobcat MaxControl system is an IOS (Apple) based plug-and-play remote control. Thanks to its similarity to gaming joysticks or an Xbox controller, MaxControl allows operators to remotely control machines in a simple and convenient way.

They now do not have to get in and out of the machine to, for example, open a gate, park the machine, load it onto a trailer or load and unload materials. The system has had a limited launch in North America and is currently in the testing phase in EMEA.