The electric revolution isn't only focused on the passenger vehicles, but so much more. At construction equipment manufacturer Bobcat, that includes the new T7X truck loader, or what we commonly call a digger. The new piece of machinery is the first of its kind and made its debut at CES 2022. Bobcat said its performance will help it outdo today's diesel-powered diggers.
At the core of the digger is a 62-kilowatt-hour battery pack that provides enough juice to handle 4 hours of nonstop work. If a crew uses it intermittently, it'll go a full day before needing to charge up again. Not only does it produce zero emissions, but compared to diesel-powered models, Bobcat said the T7X provides three times as much torque, which is instantaneous thanks to the electric powertrain. There's 100 horsepower on tap and the digger can scoot around at speeds up to 9.1 mph. Bobcat rates the tipping load at 8,571 pounds.
The company thinks the machine will be a hit with even friendlier characteristics compared to a digger that drinks diesel. The T7X is nearly silent and produces far fewer vibrations. Even folks near a construction site will reap the benefits of a quieter machine. In addition, fleet operators have less maintenance to worry about, too. The electric digger takes just a quart of coolant compared to 60 gallons worth of fluids to operate a traditional machine. Like electric cars, there are far fewer moving parts as well, which can reduce maintenance and repair costs further.
There isn't a timeline for when we'll see the digger enter production, but Bobcat encourages potential customers to follow along for updates. Surely, with enough interest, we could see this electric machine become reality soon.
