Bobcat has unveiled its latest electric compact excavator, the E32e. The 3.9-tonne battery-powered excavator joins a growing line-up of Bobcat electric machines, including the E10e, its first electric compact excavator, announced in 2019, and the world’s first electric compact track loader, the T7X, unveiled earlier this year.

Bobcat brought out all three battery-powered machines May 24 for live demonstrations in California to show them as zero-emissions alternatives for government and private equipment fleets. The company plans to start delivering the electric compact machines in July to Sunbelt Rentals locations where they will be available for rent.

Like the T7X CTL and the E10e, the E32e has a run time of four hours of continuous operation on its lithium-ion battery pack. The company says it could work a full 8-hour day with intermittent use.

It takes eight hours to fully charge with a 240-volt outlet. Bobcat says the machines can equal or outperform their diesel counterparts.

The E32e has a motor power of 21.6 horsepower or 16.1 kilowatts. Regardless of rpm, the electric compact excavator delivers full torque, Bobcat says.

The company touts its smooth hydraulic control and ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously without a noticeable drop in power. The compact excavator can work indoors or outside in dense urban areas, because it emits no harmful emissions, and it is quiet and reduces vibrations.

Bobcat says electric motors have fewer parts than diesel engines for reduced maintenance and repair costs. The batteries do not require any routine maintenance and are internally protected from overcharging. Bobcat notes that recharging them leads to significant cost savings over diesel, and contractors can use the electric equipment to become eligible for projects in which priority is given to those using sustainable business practices.

The electrical drive system that replaces the hydraulic system of diesel-powered equipment consists of electric cylinders and electric-drive motors, and that means almost no fluids, except a small amount of coolant.

“They are designed to deliver a smalle carbon footprint and a quieter jobsite experience but can also outperform their diesel machine counterparts,” says Joel Honeyman, vice president of global innovation at Bobcat. “These machines offer zero-emissions and clean solutions that meet today’s growing regulations, as well as the high standards of government and construction customers in a variety of applications.”

The E32e has a bucket digging force of 7,284 pound-feet and drawbar pull of 7,815 pound-feet.