Bobcat T7X is groundbreaking new electric digger
The world's first fully electric mini-digger claims to have the charge for a full day's labor
Doosan Bobact has unveiled a literally groundbreaking new electric vehicle: what it claims is the world's first full electric mini-digger.
The Bobcat T7X is a compact truck loader that the American firm showed at the recent CES tech show in Las Vegas. It joins a larger electric excavator (US parlance for a full-size digger) in the firm’s growing line-up of zero emission industrial machines.
The new machine is powered by a 62kWh battery lithium-ion battery, which allows for around four hours of continuous electric-only running – or enough for a full day given the breaks usually involved in digging and loading work.
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The T7X also uses electric actuators and motors in place of the hydraulics that usually power the loading arms. That also means it uses significantly less fluid than a regular mini-digger: Bobcat claims it needs 0.9 litres of eco-friendly coolant, compared to the 259 litres uses by a usual diesel/hydraulic mini-digger.
As is traditional with electric vehicles, the electric powertrain offers instant power and full torque, saving the time usually taken to build up hydraulic pressure and making on-site manoeuvring easier. Another benefit that the silent running the machine offers will enable it to be used in noise sensitive areas, while Bobcat also claims substantially lower running costs. The T7X has also been developed with smart software so that its performance can be adjusted for a variety of job situations, allowing for variable drive speed and the like.
Bobcat will launch the T7X with a range of electric attachments to enable specific tasks, including an electrically-powered auger for digging holes, an angle broom for sweeping and a grabber for holding materials.
Bobcat has given no indication of price for the T7X, when it will be available or if it will be offered outside of the US. The North Dakota-based firm, which is owned by the Korean Doosan Group, does have a European operation based in the Czech Republic.
While the machine is the first full-electric mini digger, other firms have developed other electric industrial vehicle. British firm JCB already offers a small electric excavator, for example, and is also working on hydrogen technology for larger vehicles.
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