China-based Yuchai enters mass production with electric models

Yuchai says its compact electric products are now exported to more than 30 countries and regions. Image: Yuchai

The OEM says that this marks a significant step forward in its journey in new energy compact equipment, offering efficient and eco-friendly solutions for a wide range of applications including indoor operations, ports and terminals, agricultural and forestry farms, large-scale logistics, metallurgical plants, and emergency response.​

The company says that it developed China’s first electric excavator in 2016 but as the battery only lasted for three hours it did not enter mass production. In 2022 Yuchai launched the country’s first pure electric compact skid steer loader.

By 2025, Yuchai’s R&D efforts culminated in a full lineup of electric products now in mass production, including the Z25 wheel loader, S35, S90, and S150 skid steer loaders, Y20E and Y60E excavators, and the D170 remote-controlled demolition robot.​

Yuchai says that its key innovations include the global debut of a Battery Thermal Management System applied to compact equipment. The OEM claims that, compared with traditional models, these designs boost efficiency by more than 50% and extend endurance by over 30%, enabling continuous operation of up to 11 hours.

Yuchai’s compact electric products are now exported to more than 30 countries and regions, including Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, the US, Canada, and Australia.