Doosan Bobcat unveiled its new, all-electric Bobcat T7X compact track loader this month at CES® 2022. The T7X is the first machine of its kind to be fully electric, offering the full benefits of eliminating hydraulic systems, components, emissions and vibrations – all while providing cleaner, quieter machines.
“Doosan Bobcat is at the forefront of innovation, and we are proud to debut the all-electric technology of the T7X to help customers maximize both sustainability and productivity,” said Scott Park, president and CEO of Doosan Bobcat, Inc. “Our focus remains on providing solutions and products that empower people to accomplish more and build a better world.”
First Electric Compact Track Loader
The Bobcat T7X is the world’s first all-electric compact track loader. This machine is fully battery-powered, built to be more productive from the ground up with electric actuation and propulsion, quieter with high-performance torque and more powerful than any diesel-fueled track loader that has ever come before it – all while eliminating any carbon emissions.
“This machine is a technological feat for Bobcat and for the entire industry,” said Joel Honeyman, vice president of global innovation at Doosan Bobcat. “We challenged the status quo to deliver a connected, all-electric machine designed for power and performance that previously was not possible. We are excited to share this advancement with the world and proud of the hard work that has gone into making this a reality.”
Large Rental Company Commits to Bobcat Electric Equipment
During the company’s CES Media Days news conference, Doosan Bobcat announced a strategic partnership with South Carolina-based Sunbelt Rentals, a leading rental equipment company in North America with more than 1,025 locations. Through this partnership, Sunbelt Rentals committed to a significant investment in a large fleet of Bobcat T7X all-electric compact track loaders and electric compact excavators in North America, which will be co-branded and made available in 2022 and beyond. Sunbelt Rentals will be the first national equipment rental company to adopt Bobcat’s battery-electric technology and make it available to customers, supporting the environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus for both companies.
“By making an investment in this first-of-its-kind, all-electric technology, we support our ESG objectives of empowering our customers and communities with the availability of alternative rental solutions that reduce emissions and noise,” said Brendan Horgan, CEO of Sunbelt Rentals. “Sunbelt Rentals is leading the implementation of electrified on-road and off-road products to unlock the ESG structural benefits of rental.”
The Technology and Design of the All-Electric T7X Compact Track Loader
The fully electric track loader operates with zero emissions, reduced sound levels, limited vibrations and lower daily operating costs
The Bobcat T7X has electric actuators and motors, so it uses only one quart of eco-friendly coolant compared to 57 gallons of fluid in its diesel/hydraulic equivalent model
The lithium-ion battery and intelligent power management system supports worksite daily operations and automatically backs off power when not needed to preserve energy use
The traditional hydraulic work group has been completely replaced with an electrical drive system consisting of electric cylinders and electric drive motors, which means virtually no fluids. The new, all-electric Bobcat T7X uses only one quart of eco-friendly coolant compared to 57 gallons of fluid in its diesel/hydraulic equivalent model.
The all-electric platform enables instantaneous power and peak torque available at every operating speed. The operator no longer must wait for the standard hydraulic system to build up power.
The T7X operates with zero emissions and reduced noise and vibration generated by the machine. It works quietly and efficiently in noise sensitive areas and indoors, which significantly lowers sound levels and improves the working environment. It can also significantly lower daily operating costs, when considering the reduction in annual maintenance costs and elimination of diesel, engine oil, diesel exhaust fluid and hydraulic parts.
At the heart of the T7X is a powerful 62KW lithium-ion battery from technology partner Green Machine Equipment, Inc. While applications vary, each charge can support common daily work operations and the use of intelligent work modes for up to four hours of continuous operation time and a full day of operation during intermittent use. The intelligence of the power management system is programmed to sense when loads are increasing, automatically backing off power when not needed to preserve the total energy use and extend the machine’s runtime.
While the new T7X is eco-designed, it is also a smart machine featuring the software connectivity Bobcat equipment is known for via two-way telematics communications. The platform provides integral data about the performance of the machine, along with operator-focused data to change machine preferences, tune the performance to certain job situations and upgrade product features. This includes variable drive speed at full torque and other features not possible with a diesel hydraulic machine.
Doosan Bobcat collaborated with Moog Inc., a worldwide developer of motion control components and systems for industries ranging from aerospace and defense to construction, to speed up the pace of research and development for electronic control capabilities of the T7X.
“Like Doosan Bobcat, we believe that electrification, automation and connectivity go hand-in-hand,” said Moog Inc. Chairman and CEO John Scannell. “We are proud to collaborate with Doosan Bobcat and bring our comprehensive set of electrification capabilities, including hardware and intelligent software, to the world’s first all-electric loader. The T7X is an exciting step forward for the construction industry.”
To accompany the T7X, Bobcat will also introduce the world’s first all-electric attachments to empower the machine for specific tasks. The first to be developed include an electrically-powered auger to dig holes, an angle broom to sweep clean and a grapple to grab and hold materials.