With so many car manufacturers getting into the battery powered vehicle market, it was only a matter of time before the construction industry would start seeing more focus placed on its machines. While there are other, smaller pieces of equipment on jobsites now, CASE Construction Equipment has recently unveiled the industry’s first fully electric Backhoe Loader.
Announced at last week’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the 580 EV Backhoe Loader was finally unveiled after hiding in secrecy under the name “Project Zeus” for several years.
Performance
The company says that the electric version will offer the same amount of power that their similarly sized diesel backhoes currently offer.
“The 580 EV performs like a CASE backhoe — matching the power and performance expected from CASE with the advantages of an electrified machine,” says Eric Zieser, director — global compact equipment product line, CASE, in a press release. “Operators will experience the same digging, lifting and craning performance achieved in a diesel-powered machine in a quieter, emissions-free work area. That’s the ultimate goal of our sustainability efforts — improve the world around us, make equipment more sustainable, and to do so while finding new ways to improve productivity and the experience of the people who use the equipment.”
courtesy of CASE Construction Equipment
CASE says the benefit of electric over diesel is that it will have a significantly less operating cost, saving as much as 90% in annual vehicle service and maintenance costs, as well as zero emissions and significant noise reduction. The emissions and noise reduction, they say, will be very appealing to utility contractors and public works organizations, who may be dealing with initiatives to reduce exposure to them in public workspaces.
Battery
To power a full size backhoe loader, a pretty beefy battery is needed. The 580 EV uses a 480-volt, 90kwh lithium-ion battery that charges with any 220-volt/three-phase connection. The company says that a battery charge can “support most common eight-hour workdays,” so you shouldn’t expect to work it extremely hard and get a full days use out of it. Obtaining a 220-volt connection will prove to be a challenge for some josbsites, especially when it can already be hard enough to find power to charge tool batteries.
Since this is CASE’s first electric machine, they teamed up with two industry leaders to help in the development: Green Machine Inc. and Moog, Inc. Green Machine has developed several electric mini excavators and Moog is an experienced electronic and mechanical systems designer.
Price
The 580 EV will also retail with a higher initial price, but CASE anticipates a payback of 5 years with the reduction in maintenance and other factors. No longer in pre-production, the 580 EV has already been purchased by 2 utility companies in the US. They are currently able to produce additional units for purchase in 2020, but will ramp up production in the next few years. The company will also continue to explore more opportunities in the electric equipment sector in the coming years.
For more information about the CASE CE 580 EV Backhoe Loader, check out their video below!
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.