Deere e-backhoe concept surfaces

Following in the footsteps of Volvo Construction Equipment, JCB, CASE Construction and Wacker Neuson, John Deere is the latest construction machinery OEM to hop on the electric bandwagon – recently revealing its electric backhoe concept that is currently in its first phase of development.

John Deere said the battery-powered, electric vehicle– referred to as E-Power – will target the ease of operation and performance level of the diesel-powered, 100hp 310L Backhoe. The company is aiming to provide substantially lower daily operating costs, lower jobsite noise, enhanced machine reliability, and zero emissions with the E-Power.

Deere has enlisted the help of National Grid - an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving Northeast America, to joint test the E-Power backhoe on its jobsites.

“We are excited to work with National Grid, a leader in promoting clean energy solutions, to test the John Deere electric backhoe design in real-world conditions,” said John Deere global director of production systems, technology and marketing, Jason Daly.

“John Deere is committed to developing innovative, robustly tested, and reliable equipment for our customers, unlocking measurable value through the incorporation of smart technology solutions in our machines. This project is another stepping stone in our backhoe innovation journey, intended to lead to subsequent electrification testing and design refinement.”

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The testing period will enable National Grid to expand its use of electric equipment on jobsites, reaffirming its commitment to leading the industry in the use of clean and resilient energy solutions.

“National Grid is one of only two energy companies in the US to add electric backhoes to their fleets,” said National Grid US President, Badar Khan.

“We are excited to work with John Deere to take an important step in electrifying our company vehicles, which could be revolutionary for our industry.

“Decarbonizing transportation remains a challenge in the journey to net zero and we’re hopeful that bringing on more electrified heavy-duty vehicles and equipment will help us make significant progress.”