Case unveils all-electric backhoe with 90% lower cost of operation

Electrification goes beyond the passenger car industry and it is now starting to take hold in the construction equipment industry.

Case, one of the largest construction equipment companies, has unveiled a new all-electric backhoe, which it claims has up to 90% lower cost of operation.

The company says that the new vehicle, the CASE 580 EV, has equivalent performance as its diesel counterparts:

“The CASE 580 EV (electric vehicle) delivers backhoe power and performance equivalent to its diesel counterpart while also providing instant torque, lower jobsite noise, lower daily and lifetime operating costs, reduced maintenance demands and absolutely zero emissions.”

It is equipped with a 90 kWh battery pack, which Case says is good enough for a “typical 8-hour work day.”

While offering “equivalent performance” as a diesel backhoe, Case claims several significant advantages, including a cost of operation up to 90-percent lower:

• Zero Emissions: Lower your carbon footprint and achieve incentives/greater consideration for new projects with electrified additions to your fleet.
• All the Performance: The battery separately powers the drivetrain and hydraulic motors, resulting in hydraulic breakout forces equal to diesel-powered machines and improved performance during simultaneous loader and drivetrain operation.
• Long-Lasting Power: The machine’s lithium-ion battery provides enough power for the typical 8-hour work day.
• Lower Operating Costs: Save as much as 90 percent in annual vehicle, fuel and maintenance costs.
• Classic CASE Performance: The 580 EV retains the precision and efficiency of diesel-powered CASE backhoes with features such as ProControl, which allows for extremely precise boom movement and placement, as well as Comfort Steer, which significantly improves steering while working in tight quarters or in truck loading operations.

The company released a video of the new CASE 580 EV electric backhoe loader:

Case hasn’t announced a price for the new vehicle, but it has already sold some units to a bunch of electric utilities in the US, including NYSEG and RG&E, AVANGRID companies, and National Grid.

Eric Zieser, director of global compact equipment product line at CASE, commented:

“The backhoe loader is perfectly suited for electrification as the varied use cycles, from heavy to light work, provide an excellent opportunity to convert wasted diesel engine hours into zero consumption battery time — yet provide the operator with instantaneous torque response when needed. At low idle a diesel engine has reduced torque and requires time for the engine to ramp up to meet the load demands. Electric motors, on the other hand, have instantaneous torque and peak torque available at every operating speed.”

It’s the latest example of the electrification of transport spreading to other industries.

Now construction and mining equipment are being increasingly electrified.

We previously reported on a dumper truck that became the world’s largest electric vehicle with a massive 700 kWh battery pack.

More recently, Volvo’s construction equipment division announced that it is going electric for all its smaller machines.

Caterpillar has been especially interested in electrifying its lineup and it even invested in Fisker last year – citing interest in their solid-state battery technology.