Electric construction equipment in Australia: every model available right now

The two biggest questions we hear about electric construction equipment are: is it worth it financially, and why isn't the industry moving faster? We've answered both.

On cost, our total cost of ownership breakdown found that while the sticker price premium is real, high-utilisation operations can expect to break even within three to five years, with lower servicing costs pushing the long-run numbers further in electric's favour.

And on what's holding adoption back, the barriers are real but specific: grid capacity, charging infrastructure, a lack of government incentives, and a classic first-mover hesitation.

What often gets lost in those conversations is how much the available choice has grown. For buyers ready to make the move, the options are better than most people think. Here's the full picture.

The Swedish brand's electric range has grown significantly since its Australian launch in late 2023. The compact models — the ECR18, ECR25 and EC18 electric excavators, plus the L20 and L25 electric wheel loaders are now established in market via distributor CJD Equipment.

The bigger news is the mid-size lineup: Volvo CE introduced the new L120 Electric wheel loader and a refreshed 23-tonne EC230 Electric excavator in 2025 — the first mid-sized machines in the company's electric lineup.

The L120 carries a 282kWh lithium-ion battery capable of powering the loader for five to nine hours on a single charge, while the EC230 features a 450kWh battery with a runtime of up to eight hours. That's a meaningful step toward making electric viable for more than just light-duty and urban work.

The longest-established electric player in Australia, JCB first brought its E-Tech range to market here in 2019 — well ahead of most competitors. Its local electric stable now includes the 19C-1E mini excavator, the ITE site dumper, HTD-5E dumpster, 525-60E compact telehandler, and a range of electric mobile elevated work platforms.

That breadth across machine types makes JCB one of the more versatile electric options for contractors looking to electrify beyond just excavation.

Wacker Neuson's electric range in Australia covers the EZ17e electric mini excavator and WL20e wheeled loader, alongside smaller equipment including rammers, vibratory plates and power storage — making it one of the more site-versatile electric offerings for contractors chasing low-emission or noise-sensitive work.

There hasn't been any major new electric model launches in Australia since 2024, but the brand has been active on the global front. Wacker Neuson’s zero emissions range overseas covers electric telescopic loaders, multiple electric loaders, electric dumpers, electric rollers and more.

Related: Wacker Neuson EZ17e electric excavator 2023 Review

Takeuchi launched its first electric compact excavator in Australia in 2024 — the TB20e.

It features a 24.7kWh lithium-ion battery designed for urban construction environments, offering long operational hours, rapid recharging, reduced emissions and quieter operation.

It's a single model for now, but it signals the brand's intent to grow its electric presence locally.

LiuGong is arguably the most aggressive of the Chinese brands when it comes to electrification in Australia, and its local electric range is wider than most people realise.

While most brands in the Australian market have confined their electric offerings to compact equipment, LiuGong's lineup spans 15 models across six machine categories, including some that push well beyond the light-duty end of the scale.

The Australian lineup currently includes:

Electric Wheel Loaders

Electric Excavators

Electric Motor Grader

Electric Skid Steer Loader

Electric Roller

That breadth across machine types and size classes is unusual in the current Australian market and gives LiuGong a credible argument that it can electrify more of a contractor's fleet than any other single brand right now.

LiuGong Australia has also announced exclusive metropolitan dealerships in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to strengthen support for its growing electric machine range, suggesting the company is backing its local electric push with serious distribution infrastructure. Globally, the pipeline points to more to come.

Related: LiuGong battery-powered loader arrives Down Under

XCMG's electrification push in Australia spans both the construction and mining sectors. The mining side, in particular, is shaping up to be one of the most significant electric equipment plays in the country.

On the construction side, at the National Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo 2025, XCMG showcased the upgraded XC968-EV electric loader featuring 20 per cent faster charging than the previous generation.

Also on display were the XE215LC hybrid excavator, customised for the Australian market to handle temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius, and the XE19UE mini excavator.

On the mining side, the numbers are staggering. Fortescue awarded XCMG a contract worth more than $400 million for over 100 pieces of zero-emission heavy mobile equipment covering battery-electric wheel loaders, wheel dozers, water carts, float prime movers and graders for its Pilbara operations.

In February 2026, XCMG unveiled two world-first prototypes — the largest all-electric wheel loader and the largest all-electric wheel dozer ever built — which are now headed to the Pilbara for field testing.

By any measure, XCMG has moved well beyond emerging challenger status in Australia. It is already one of the most consequential electric equipment suppliers in the country's mining sector.

The only Hitachi-connected electric machine to have appeared in Australia is the KTEG ZE85 — an 8.7-tonne battery electric excavator developed through Hitachi's joint venture with German distributor Kiesel.

The unit was purchased by NSW civil contractor, Anric Civil, in 2023, making it one of the earliest mid-size electric excavators seen on an Australian construction site. That purchase was a one-off rather than a commercial rollout.

Globally, Hitachi has been building out its electric range in Europe, with models spanning from the 2.5-tonne ZX26U-6EB mini excavator up to the recently launched 13-tonne ZX135-7EB.

The ZX135-7EB features a 198 kWh lithium-ion battery with a dual-mode capability, allowing it to run on battery power or connect directly to a 400V AC power supply for continuous wired operation.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia has spoken about a growing focus on decarbonisation and battery-electric models, but for now the European electric range remains out of reach for local buyers.

Related: Hitachi and KTEG debuts mid-size electric excavator

Czech manufacturer, Firstgreen Industries, is a niche but interesting player. It claims to offer the world's first commercially available all-electric, zero-emissions skid steer loaders, a distinction that sets it apart from most other brands in this roundup.

In Australia, the range is distributed by Brokk Australia, covering electric-powered loaders, excavators and other compact machinery.

The flagship Elise line spans three models — the Elise 700, Elise 900 and Elise 1200 — covering load capacities from around 700kg up to 1,200kg, with batteries providing up to nine hours of runtime on a single charge, or 24 hours with battery swapping. Charging requires only a standard 110V or 220V outlet, with no specialised infrastructure needed.

The company has also launched the Rockeat line — a range of electric, cabinless skid steer loaders designed with a low clearance profile, 360-degree camera and remote operability, aimed at confined and hazardous environments in construction and mining.

Related: Electric remote-control skid steer makes debut

SANY has been active in the Australian construction market for about a decade, with around 3500 machines deployed across the country and established dealer support networks. On the electric construction side, two models are now available locally.

The SY19E is a 1.9-tonne electric mini excavator built around a permanent magnet motor and lithium iron phosphate battery, designed for urban, indoor and night-time worksites where noise and emissions are tightly controlled, with a fast-charge option of 1.5 hours using a standard automotive socket.

The larger SY35E sits in the 3.5 to 4.3-tonne class and is engineered for more demanding earthworks. Powered by a 70kWh battery, it delivers up to seven hours of runtime, fast-charges in one hour, and operates at just 68 decibels — well suited to noise-sensitive urban environments and enclosed worksites. Both machines were displayed at the 2026 National Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo by distributor, CEA.

Also available through CEA is the SMHW40E — a battery-electric wheeled material handler with a 507 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and a working reach of up to 16.5m, suited to ports, recycling facilities and industrial yards where zero emissions and low noise are essential.

The bigger play is in mining. A fleet of 136-tonne payload SET150S hybrid rigid-frame mining trucks is headed for Western Australia's Pilbara region in the first half of 2026, with a range of diesel and electric mining excavators to follow.

United Heavy Industries (UHI) is a locally established distributor of Chinese-sourced construction equipment, with warehouses across major Australian cities and a dedicated after-sales service network making it a practical, competitively priced option for small to medium operators.

On the electric side, UHI currently offers two models. The UME12EV is a 1.2-tonne all-electric mini excavator powered by a 4kW electric motor, with expandable tracks and nine free attachments included.

Alongside it, the EU150 is a compact electric mini loader with a rated load capacity of 800kg and offers up to five hours of runtime on a standard charge. Both machines are suited to light construction, landscaping and property maintenance rather than heavy-duty site work.

For small operators wanting a low-cost entry point into electric equipment, it's a practical option available now, nationwide.

At the large end of the market, Liebherr's R 9400 E electric excavator has become a significant presence in Australian mining.

The first newly built R 9400 E was commissioned at Fortescue's Cloudbreak iron ore mine in Western Australia in December 2023, powered by a 6.6kV substation and more than two kilometres of high voltage trailing cable.

A landmark deal between Fortescue and Liebherr involves the supply of 475 zero-emission machines, 55 of which are R 9400 Es. And even more recently, a 600-tonne Liebherr mining excavator was converted from diesel to electric by Lloyds' in-house engineering team, involving a complete redesign of the machine's power architecture, control and safety systems.

The notable gap remains mid-size civil construction equipment — the 10–50 tonne machines that do the heavy lifting on most road, utilities and building projects.

The Volvo EC230 and L120 begin to address this, but the major incumbents — Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi and Kobelco — have yet to bring electric models to the Australian market in any meaningful way.

Until they do, diesel will remain firmly in charge of the middle ground.