BERKELEY, CA — The first-ever all-electric skid steer has arrived in Berkeley, California. In partnership with Sunbelt Rentals, Turner Construction Company successfully deployed the all-new Bobcat T7X Electric Track Skid Steer on The Gateway project at UC Berkeley, marking another milestone in their commitment to decarbonize construction operations. Its deployment marks a second "first" for Turner’s use of all-electric equipment in California, with the other being their pilot of the Volvo EC230 Electric Excavator earlier this year.

"As we focus on reducing our carbon footprint, the transition to clean equipment seems necessary," said Manu Garg, Turner's Project Executive on The Gateway. "In the spirit of innovation, we want to hopefully dispel misgivings about transitioning to electrical equipment."

With The Gateway being the future home of Berkeley’s computer and data science departments meant to support researchers exploring technological solutions for an equitable and decarbonized future, the use of the T7X is a natural fit. With the site adjacent to several active classrooms and labs, the all-electric track loader — used to regrade the site’s access roads — ensures that construction operations can be carried out with minimal disruption to Berkeley’s students and faculty. The 62-kilowatt lithium-ion battery, which allows for four hours of continuous use or an intermittent full day of use, also allows for indoor work while mitigating the risks associated with fluid leaks and minimizing operational vibrations.

“We are grateful to be able to provide our customers with new technology that will aide in achieving their sustainability goals along with doing our part to provide environmentally friendly solutions in the construction equipment realm,” Sunbelt Product Line Manager Jenny Pratt said. “Our customers will be able to operate outside of normal working hours and in applications where its diesel counterpart would not be suitable. This allows for increased productivity and quicker job completion. We are thankful to have been a part of this product development from the beginning with Bobcat and are excited to be able to help introduce the market to all-electric equipment.”

While this launch is celebrated, it is important to emphasize the crucial interplay between technological advancement and industry adoption, according to Emi LaFountain, Turner Regional Sustainability Manager.

“It's all about supply and demand. The electric construction equipment market depends not just on the development of the technology itself, but on a contractors' willingness to pilot, rent, and streamline that equipment too,” LaFountain said. “It's thrilling to be at the crux of both positions and be a part of that push for a lower-carbon job site.”