Case releases the industry’s first electric backhoe loader.
The production-ready, purpose-built 580EV electric backhoe, plus a new electric mini excavator and compact wheel loader, gives crews new options for zero-emissions and low-noise machines to get more work done.
Case Construction Equipment has expanded its EV toolbox with the commercial release of its 580EV, the industry’s first electric backhoe loader. Marking a new milestone in emissions-free productivity on the jobsite, Case’s EV backhoe loader will soon be followed by the commercial availability of two additional EV machines — the CX25EV 2.5-metric ton mini excavator and the CL36EV 3.6-metric ton compact wheel loader. The new equipment increases Case’s EV lineup to five models, including the previously launched CX15EV electric mini excavator and the SL22EV small articulated loader.
The next generation of EV equipment from Case offers crews zero-emissions, low-noise solutions for a wide range of unique jobsite demands — from overnight construction, to work in urban centers or other close-quarter environments where noise and emissions must be kept to a minimum. The expanded CASE EV offering matches the performance and power of its diesel counterparts while delivering unique advantages like lower fuel costs and less maintenance.
The new Case 580EV electric backhoe loader carries over the same dimensional loading and digging specifications and delivers the same breakout forces as the popular four-wheel-drive, 97 hp (71 kW) Case 580SN diesel model — marking an upgrade in performance since Case first debuted its Project Zeus electric backhoe concept at CONEXPO in 2020. With this new production unit, Case took customer feedback and optimized everything from thermal management to operator controls in order to electrify a machine with comparable specs to the widely used 580SN. Case also included new features, like an 8-inch colour display, air conditioning, a front-dash display and adjustable four-corner, multi-coloured LED strobe lights.
Powered by a 400-volt, 71-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery platform that’s charged with the same type of Level 2 J1772 adapter found in automotive EVs, the new electric backhoe loader is designed to deliver up to eight hours of operational run time on a single charge, depending on the application. The battery platform also uses an advanced thermal management system with system-specific cooling circuits to better regulate temperatures and help maintain performance in hot or cold conditions.
The four-wheel-drive 580EV uses two independent electric motors for the PowerDrive transmission and hydraulic pumps feeding the loader, backhoe and steering systems to minimize energy consumption and improve performance in loading applications. The 14 ft (4.3 m) backhoe also includes an Extendahoe to boost reach, while features like ProControl swing dampening, PowerLift/PowerBoost and electrohydraulic controls improve precision and ease of use on the jobsite. Electrification also provides performance advantages like instantaneous torque response and peak torque at any RPM, so operators don’t need to wait for an internal combustion engine to ramp up to meet load demands. Source