Bobcat shows battery powered skid steer

1 June 2023

What is claimed to be the world’s first all-electric skid-steer loader has been unveiled by Bobcat at its recent Demo Days events for professionals in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. 

Like its tracked T7X counterpart, the concept S7X is all-electric, being powered by a 60.5kWh lithium-ion battery, with electric drive motors and ball screw actuators for lift and tilt functions. 

The manufacturer states that the battery and electric power train generate instantaneous torque that is as much as three times greater than traditional loaders, with zero emissions, and that it is equipped to outperform its diesel-powered equivalent, with minimal vibration and nearly silent operation. 

“The S7X can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge depending on the application, giving most operators more than a full day’s work when breaks and downtime are considered. A full charge takes approximately ten hours,” said Joel Honeyman, VP Global Innovation, Doosan Bobcat. 

At the Demo Day events, held at the Doosan Bobcat Campus at Dobris in the Czech Republic, the company also showed its E35z electro-hydraulic mini excavator with the MaxControl Remote Operation, enabling users to control the 3.5-tonne machine from a distance via an iPhone. 

As it has an electro-hydraulic control system rather than conventional hydraulic joysticks, the unit can be programmed to suit different levels of operator skill for activities such as grading, levelling and trenching.