Innovative Iron Award: Toro Ultra Buggy e2500-THL Elevates Electric Material Handling

Compact Equipment’s annual Innovative Iron Awards spotlight the year’s most game-changing compact machines, attachments and technologies. The 2025 class showcases major leaps in electrification, smarter control systems, automation, telematics and operator comfort. From battery-powered loaders and ultra-efficient mini excavators to intelligent hydraulic systems, self-leveling booms and climate-controlled cabs, these award winners reflect how innovation is reshaping performance, safety and sustainability across jobsites. Each honoree delivers measurable improvements — longer runtimes, faster cycles, lower emissions and better visibility — proving that compact equipment is evolving faster than ever. The future of earthmoving is here, and it’s smarter, cleaner and more connected. Here’s one of our 2025 Innovative Iron Award winners. Congrats!

The compact equipment market added some standout electric machines in 2025, and Compact Equipment’s editors took notice. One of our favorites was the Toro Ultra Buggy e2500-THL, earning an Innovative Iron Award for bringing high-lift performance, interior jobsite versatility and full-shift electric runtime to material hauling. Toro designed the e2500-THL as part of a growing fleet of battery-powered equipment aimed at demolition contractors, remodelers and rental houses. The company paired deep customer testing with its HyperCell battery system to build a buggy that works in tight spaces, dumps into tall dumpsters and runs a full day on a charge.

Throughout Toro’s development cycle, the e2500-THL proved itself on interior demolition jobs. It also found a complementary role beside Toro’s electric eDingo compact utility loader. As Toro’s Sam Dando explained in our Machine Heads interview (also embedded below): “Internally, we started calling them peanut butter and jelly. We even used dynamic duo in our marketing literature because they are very much a complimentary couple.”

Now, let’s take a closer look at why the e2500-THL stands out and how it compliments the Toro lineup.

Built for Tight, Busy Jobsites

The Ultra Buggy e2500-THL fits through standard doorways with a 31.5-in. width. It navigates halls, elevators and narrow turns without stressing operators or damaging interior surfaces. The compact footprint brings mechanized material handling to spaces long dominated by wheelbarrows and carts. Toro built the buggy to survive interior demolition. Reinforced tracks improve durability over debris and uneven surfaces. Low ground pressure protects floors. Operators get predictable traction on concrete, tile and compacted rubble. The result is a machine that moves materials far faster than manual labor, and without the noise and emissions of an engine.

High-Lift Dumping Saves Enormous Time

The e2500-THL’s key feature is its 76-in. dump height, which allows it to unload directly into 6-ft tall 30-yd dumpsters. This eliminates staging piles outside a building and rehandling debris with a larger loader. Toro engineered the high lift to maintain stability and control. It carries 1,250 lbs at full dump height and up to 2,500 lbs when not elevated. The steel tub holds 12.8 cu ft of demolition debris, drywall, block or framing material. On one school renovation Toro observed, contractors cut almost two weeks off the schedule by pairing the eDingo for loading and the e2500-THL for hauling.

As Dando explained, “You can go outside the building, drive over to a 30-yd dumpster, lift it all the up to 76 in. and dump that material. Again, this is tremendously easier for those operators that are doing this by hand with these big rubber made tubs as we call them or wheel barrels.”

All-Electric Power for Interior Work

The e2500-THL uses Toro’s HyperCell battery system, the same platform found in the eDingo TX 750 and the e2500-TS swivel buggy. The buggies and loader share battery packs, charging interfaces and control layouts, reducing operator training time. Toro targeted an all-day runtime, which Dando described as “non-negotiable.” The company tested prototypes with interior demolition contractors for months. Those teams ran full shifts and consistently returned the buggy with charge remaining. The buggy charges from a 240V outlet in around eight hours. Optional adapters allow 120V charging, though with a longer cycle.

Dando highlighted the importance of consistency across the electric lineup: “We wanted to make the plugins the same. We wanted to make the location of how you go about charging them the same because we do believe that you’ll have one operator or one company renting both machines or buying both machines. So, at that to same, even the controls and how you start up and operate the machine we’ve made that very consistent.”

Toro did not develop the e2500-THL in isolation. The buggy and eDingo were tested together on interior demolition and concrete removal projects. Both project teams shared engineering and customer insights during development.

“We actually started meeting together because they had similar challenges,” said Dando. “We had ended up using the same batteries, our Toro hypercell battery system, and the same charging system … So, we wanted to work closer together as two project teams to try to commonize some of these systems and not try to solve problems individually.”

A Perfect Fit for Rental Fleets

Electric interior equipment is gaining momentum, and rental houses are often the first stop for contractors exploring zero-emissions solutions. The e2500-THL offers low daily operating costs and a simple charging routine that works well in rental workflows.

“We definitely believe, especially initially, that that these are going to have great ROI for rental houses,” said Dando. “It has great potential for new customers for a lot of rental companies. We’re trying to get the word out to these interior construction and demolition contractors.”

He added that demolition crews move from site to site and need machines that flex with shifting job demands. Rental centers benefit from parts commonality with Toro’s existing compact utility loaders and from the simple maintenance profile of the electric drivetrain.

Why the Ultra Buggy e2500-THL Wins Innovative Iron

The Ultra Buggy e2500-THL earns an Innovative Iron Award for three clear reasons:

• It brings electric power to a high-lift material buggy without compromising runtime. Contractors get all-day performance in enclosed spaces.
• The e2500-THL’s key feature is its 76-in. dump height, which allows it to unload directly into 6-ft tall 30-yd dumpster. That’s one of the highest we’ve ever heard of.
• It was designed to work as part of an electric fleet. The eDingo and e2500-THL together modernize interior construction workflows. We love how multiple electric machines are meant to partner on demo and renovation projects.

Keith Gribbins is publisher of Compact Equipment.

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