Doosan Bobcat today revealed the T7X, which it calls the world’s first all-electric compact track loader. Its 62 KW battery is powerful enough to last a whole day on a worksite and it eliminates virtually all fuel and hydraulic costs. Thanks to its powerful lithium-ion battery supplied by Green Machine Equipment, the T7X does away with hydraulics to power its attachments, instead using electric power exclusively. That means that operators no longer have to wait for the system to build up power.
By getting rid of the diesel engine,
meanwhile, the loader is also much quieter and vibrates much less than a
traditional skid steer. It cuts down on diesel emissions while saving the
operator fuel, oil, and diesel exhaust fluid costs, as well as those costs
associated with hydraulic maintenance. In all, the T7X uses just one quart of
eco-friendly coolant compared to 57 gallons of fluid needed by a
diesel/hydraulic equivalent model.
According to Doosan Bobcat, the machine is
capable of up to four hours of continuous operation but in common, intermittent
use, it lasts a full workday. To do that, it gets help from the intelligent
power management system, which is programmed to sense when loads increase or
decrease and automatically back off power when it’s not needed to help the
batteries last as long as possible. To accompany the T7X, the manufacturer will
also release a range of all-electric attachments. The first to be developed
include an auger to dig holes, an angle broom to sweep, and a grapple to grab
and hold materials.
The first customer for the T7X will be
Sunbelt Rentals, a leading rental company in North America with more than 1,025
locations. Sunbelt Rentals has committed to a significant investment in a large
fleet, which will be available to customers this year.
