At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, French startup Elhyte unveiled its innovative retrofit battery system and a new all-electric mini excavator. The E-Cube battery is designed for interchangeability and offers an impressive 12,000-hour lifespan, which, according to Elhyte, is equivalent to the average lifetime of three mini excavators. After 12,000 hours, the lithium iron phosphate batteries still retain 80 per cent of their original capacity and can be repurposed as a power storage unit for charging other equipment.

Mini excavators fitted with the E-Cube system experience a 70 per cent reduction in their carbon footprint, making them ideal for use in low-emission zones like Santa Monica, California. The first machine to come factory-installed with the E-Cube battery system is the 5,000-pound ELH25.1 mini excavator, developed in partnership with a renowned manufacturer.

One of the primary challenges addressed by the E-Cube system is the need for rapid recharging of electric construction equipment on job sites and the related infrastructure. With the E-Cube system, batteries can be swapped in under 10 minutes by a single operator using an integrated removable jib and electric winch. Charging is also straightforward, as the batteries can be charged anywhere using Type 2 connectors or standard outlet adapters.

Additionally, the batteries include a thermal management system that self-regulates based on external temperatures.