Cat Will Showcase Four Battery Electric Machines at Giant German Tradeshow bauma
The biggest maker of earthmoving equipment in the world is teasing some new electric options at the end of the year. Caterpillar announced it would display four electric machine prototypes at bauma 2022 Oct. 24-30 in Munich, Germany. You know, this crazy big show:
The battery electric machine prototypes include the 301.9 mini excavator, 320 medium excavator, 950 GC medium wheel loader and 906 compact wheel loader. This is exciting news, and shows once again that electric will be the big talk of 2023 (especially at CONEXPO-CON/AGG). These Cat machines are powered by Caterpillar battery prototypes and include an onboard AC charger. The company also plans to offer an offboard DC fast charging option. From the press release:
“Caterpillar is well positioned to help customers reach their sustainability goals, including lowering emissions on the jobsite,” said Construction Industries Group President Tony Fassino. “It’s important we meet customers on their sustainability journey today with a variety of solutions including machines that run on renewable fuels or technology that increases fuel efficiency, as well as supporting them into the future as we power our next generation of machines.”
Also interesting for this iteration of bauma, Caterpillar’s presence at this show will be led by its dealer Zeppelin Cat (inside and outside Hall B6). As noted in our previous post, the Cat booth theme will be “Let’s Do The Work,” the overarching messages will expand beyond the equipment to highlight Caterpillar’s broad range of technology, services and sustainability solutions. That includes electric, and not just the unit’s mentioned above. There’s more to come.
The Cat-designed batteries in these machines will also be available to power other industrial applications, according to the release. This lithium-ion battery range features a modular design that offers flexible configurations across multiple applications. Cat noted its engineered these batteries to be scalable and sustainable, including recycling and reuse at the end of life.
“Our electrified products leverage our deep system integration experience and are designed to meet the performance expectations that customers have come to expect from Caterpillar,” said Joe Creed, Energy & Transportation Group President. “We’re focused on helping our customers achieve the optimal product and jobsite energy lifecycle, allowing them to maximize value and minimize their total cost of operation.”
Excitingly, the 301.9 mini excavator and 906 compact wheel loader are expected to be the first commercially available models. I’m just not sure when they’re coming to America, but when I find out so will you. Stay tuned in by signing up for our print magazine and e-newsletters.
Keith Gribbins is publisher of Compact Equipment.
