The launch of the SV17e mini excavator and V8e compact wheeled loader are seen as significant to Yanmar CE’s transition to zero tail-pipe emissions.
Delivering 23.5 kWh and 40kWh battery capacity respectively (and with a 52kWh option), these electric machines are described by Yanmar as “capable, powerful and highly productive”.
Cédric Durand, product management director at Yanmar CE, said: “It’s not going to be easy, but by 2050 we plan to be net zero emissions. Not just Yanmar, but also Yanmar customers. We have a roadmap to make that happen – and electrification is at the heart of it.”
He said that adoption of electric construction machinery was proving slow to get going but is inevitable eventually: “Large rental companies are dipping their toes in the market, and several big contractors with ESG targets are keen,” he said. “Scandinavia and the Nordics are leading the field for zero emissions, especially Norway, but these are still small markets. For volumes to really grow – and economies-of-scale to drive down costs – we need a major European economy like Germany, France or the UK to push for electrification. We are not seeing that yet. But when it happens, we believe it will go fast – and we need to have a range of electric machines ready.”
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