Electric construction equipment currently available in Australia

The electric future is upon us, that much is clear, but the Australian construction industry isn’t quite as far along in its decarbonisation journey as the passenger car or truck segments. That’s all about to change, though.

Electric vehicle sales in Australia topped out at 87,000 last year, almost triple the number sold in 2022 or around seven per cent of total market share, and in some countries those numbers are even higher.

While electric construction machines are seeing nowhere near that level of market penetration, the battery electric compact equipment market will be nearly 100 times bigger by 2030, according to Senior Research Director at Interact Analysis, Alastair Hayfield.

Australia is likely to trail behind Europe and China, who are expected to see electric compact equipment penetration of around 20 and 10 per cent respectively by 2030. However, the number of electric options entering the local market is heating up.

Aside from getting Australia closer to its ambitious goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, electric construction equipment offers a myriad of benefits for operators and asset owners.

Electric equipment emits no tailpipe emissions whatsoever so, whether working indoors or out in the open, air quality is improved for those working around machinery.

Then there is the reduced noise pollution, eliminating the diesel hum from job sites and cabins, and vibration is greatly reduced too.

Producing maximum torque from zero RPM means incredible breakout force and instant power with no need to idle up - and on that note, sitting idle uses no energy whatsoever.

Most importantly though, operating and maintenance costs are both lower with less serviceable items and consumables to fork out hard-earned dollars for. Of course, the sticker price is typically higher with electric machinery, but for many companies, the ESG benefits outweigh the initial purchase price.

So, what electric construction equipment is currently available in Australia?

Volvo CE first unveiled its electric earthmoving models in 2020, but it wasn’t until late 2023 that they reached Australian shores via local distributor CJD Equipment.

The first models to be rolled out, the ECR18 and ECR25 compact excavators and the L25 wheel loader, have been a success so far with positive customer trials, CJD managing director, Alan Barnett, told us during a recent chat.

In fact, one of the fully-electric L25 compact wheel loaders is already being put to work after CJD delivered the model to a customer back in March.

According to Barnett, there are more models being evaluated for Australia with local trials set to commence for a 20-tonne L120 wheel loader and EC230 excavator.

“They’ll be here in August or September and we’ll finish off getting everything right across charging solutions, training and development,” he said.

“They’ll then be going to market by the end of this year, or the beginning of next year.”

British-owned JCB was quick to market in Australia, with the first examples from its E-Tech range of zero-emission machinery arriving back in 2019.

The JCB 19C-1E 1.9-tonne electric mini excavator touched down four years ago, the first of its kind in the world, and Constructionsales.com.au was one of the first to test it when it arrived.

Since then, JCB has added several more electric units to its local stable including the ITE site dumper, HTD-5E dumpster, 525-60E compact telehandler, and a range of electric mobile elevated work platforms.

The E-Tech range also includes a 403E wheeled loader and a couple of industrial forklifts but there are currently no confirmed dates for their Australian release.

While electric compact excavator options are plentiful so far in Australia, larger electric equipment is still a rarity Down Under.

However, Hitachi released its mid-size 8.7-tonne electric ZE85 excavator in mid-2023, with 40kW of power which puts it on par with equivalent diesel machines.

The ZE85 was developed by KTEG, a company formed between Hitachi Construction Machinery and German machinery distributor and solutions provider Kiesel, as part of its zero-emission range.

According to KTEG, the machine has an operating time of around 5.5 hours, but range can be extended to seven hours with the addition of a larger 132kWh battery pack. Fast charging capabilities allow the ZE85 to be fully charged in around two hours.

The hydraulic system of the ZE85 is said to be comparable in power to the diesel ZX85, with the same pumps and hydraulic blocks shared across the two models.

Wacker Neuson is another electric player making waves in Australia, launching its EZ17e electric mini excavator which we also tested shortly after it arrived Down Under.

Its electric range consists of smaller equipment like rammers, vibratory plates and power storage, as well as the mini excavator and a WL20e wheeled loader also available in Australia.

While only offering two larger construction machines in its electric range, Wacker Neuson distributor, ACES Equipment, says they have a strong supply of machines available for eco-conscious buyers.

Electric models from dedicated zero-emission machine manufacturer, Firstgreen Industries, are now available in Australia through local distributor Electric Machinery Sales.

The Czech Republic company, which also has branches in the US, offers a range of electric skid steers and compact track loaders ranging from its Elise 700 with a 2.8-tonne operating weight, through to its large Elise 1200 with a 3.8-tonne operating weight.

Even the brand’s latest innovation, an electric full-size remote-control skid steer called the Rockeat, is likely to make its way to Australia eventually having just launched in the US.

Chinese-owned Sany offers its new compact electric excavator, the SY19E, in Australia through its local dealership network.

The zero-emission SY19E has an operating weight of 1965kg with 10kW of power on demand from its Vmax electric motor. Battery life is between four to six hours, according to the company, and it can be charged using regular AC power, three-phase, or a DC fast charger.

NSW and QLD dealership, YELLO Equipment, offers a five year/5000hr warranty for the compact excavator, and the SY19E is said to offer an 80 per cent reduction in maintenance costs compared with the equivalent SY16C diesel machine.

Another prominent construction equipment brand hailing from China, LiuGong has also joined the green revolution, offering not one but two battery powered units in Australia.

Its 2.7-tonne 9027FE mini excavator has a LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery system offering 20.6kWh of power. Despite its size, the machine comes with a range of premium features such as an enclosed cab and comfortable suspension seat, advanced remote monitoring and control systems, advanced hydraulics and more.

The 856HE Max+ is a 20-tonne wheel loader that LiuGong claims is the first commercially available mid-sized electric loader in Australia. Powering the 856H-E Max is a 432kWh large capacity lithium-iron phosphate battery from battery manufacturer CATL. According to LiuGong, the machine can work 10 hours in light applications and eight hours in heavy applications.

While not necessarily new, electric scissor lifts and forklifts are replacing diesel options for use indoors or in confined spaces, reducing overall noise and tailpipe pollution on job sites.

One manufacturer offering electric options is Toyota Material Handling with its long-standing electric forklift and pallet jack range, making indoor work safer and quieter.

It also introduced its high-tonnage range of battery forklifts in 2020, consisting of the 9FBM60T, 9FBM70T, 9FBM80T and 9FBH80T - all counterbalanced with load capacities of up to eight tonnes.

On a busy job site, every piece of machinery counts, so opting for electric forklifts has become commonplace.

While electric equipment on-site is important, so is the on-road freight task associated with construction projects.

Daimler-owned Fuso has been offering its popular light-duty Canter truck range in Australia since 1971, and now it has an electric option.

Our partner site, Trucksales.com.au, has tested the second-generation eCanter and we can report that it’s an exceptional light-duty truck - even compared with its diesel counterparts.

The eCanter produces 110kW/430Nm of power, with the choice of either two or three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs allowing a range of up to 300km.

For those worried about downtime, DC fast charging allows the eCanter to go from five per cent to 90 per cent in 45 minutes - or around the time it takes to break for lunch.

While the electric options available in Australia don’t come close to matching the sheer array of diesel machines on the market, there is a wave of zero-emission machinery coming.

Brands like Caterpillar, Komatsu, Yanmar, Bobcat, John Deere and Case have all launched electric earthmoving equipment into global markets, and it is only a matter of time before they arrive on our shores. In fact, Komatsu recently displayed two electric models - so far only available in Japan and Europe - at the National Diesel, Dirt & Turf (DDT) expo in Sydney.

Then there are heavy players like Liebherr who successfully converted a large R 9400 mining excavator from diesel to electric, showcasing that the technology is possible even in the heaviest of applications.

Komatsu has gone down a similar path with its 930E electric drive mining truck, which is even being converted to run a hydrogen fuel cell alongside GM. Caterpillar has also taken electrification to its heavy machinery, demonstrating its 793 mining dump truck can be converted to electric drive back in 2022.

Australia may not be able to match Europe or the US when it comes to electric machinery sales volume, but our goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, plus the current construction boom sweeping the nation, makes the Australian market an enticing one for manufacturers to introduce their electric options.