Think Electric

Presented by Electric Machinery Sales

Electric Machinery Sales are proud to bring to the Australian market FIRST GREEN Industries two machines, the standard-sized Elise900 and the remotely controlled MiniZ 400. Already making waves in the European and North American markets, the world’s first electric skid-steer loaders are built in Europe, they are free of emissions and noise and significantly cheap to run and maintain. These machines are in stock in Australia with more on the way.

 The Elise900 and MiniZ 400. Source: Supplied.

Why Electric?

Making a skid-steer loader electric-powered has various advantages, some of them obvious, some less so. Of course, the “green” aspect comes to mind first. With FIRST GREEN Industries machines, the Elise900 and MiniZ 400, you can get your green credentials while also saving money and gaining unique new capabilities.

With their zero-emission, quiet operation, these machines are perfect for working in places with tight regulations, indoors or any location where not disturbing the peace with noise or emissions is paramount. This opens a whole new world of possibilities to these skid-loaders, especially as the small, remotely-controlled MiniZ 400 is able to operate in tight spaces where it would be impossible to use traditional heavy equipment.

Of course, both MiniZ 400 and Elise900 are also a great way to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. Even when using grid-sourced electricity, they are much more efficient than their diesel-powered counterparts, significantly reducing the CO2 emissions – especially in countries with a renewables-heavy energy mix. Even better results can be gained when using your own renewable electricity sources, which will make the operation carbon neutral.

Saving Money

In business, however, money usually comes first. And with FIRST GREEN Industries, you don’t have to choose between being eco-friendly and financially savvy. You can have both at once.

We did a large comparison of the overall running costs of several diesel-powered skid-steer loaders produced by our competitors. Our survey included Bobcat S 570, CAT 232 D 3, JCB 190, John Deere 318G/E, Case SR210, Kubota SSV 66, Wacker Neuson SW 20, Gehl R 190, New Holland L 220, Volvo MC 95 C and Mustang 1900 R. The average running costs of all these machines came to $7.66 per hour. At the same time, the Elise900, a comparable machine in every respect, costs only $1.66 per hour to run. That equates to $48 in savings per one 8-hour shift.

The main reason is, of course, that electricity is cheaper than diesel fuel (and if you have your own source, like solar panels, you can save even more), but it doesn’t end here. The maintenance costs of an electric powertrain are also significantly lower, with fewer moving parts that need replacement. Even the tyres have to be changed less often.

The FIRST GREEN Elise900. Source: Supplied.

Overall, our estimate means that you save $6,000 for every 1,000 hours of operation. After 3,000 hours, you have already saved roughly 30 % of the cost [VD1] of our Elise900 skid-steer loader purchase price – 12 to 17 thousand dollars, depending on which competitor you compare the Elise900 with. With the purchase price of the Elise900 being roughly comparable to that of most of the competition, this means huge savings after just one year of one-shift-per-day operation.

More Capabilities

Being electric, our skid-steer loaders are not only better for the environment and usable even in places where noise and emissions are a problem, like indoors or in residential neighborhoods. The batteries, which are the heaviest part of the vehicle, are mounted very low in the chassis, making for an extremely low center of gravity.

This translates into extremely good off-road performance. They can safely go where conventional loaders can’t, remaining stable even with a side tilt of up to 47 °. This opens up a whole new set of uses which would be impossible with traditional machines.

Our machines can also be equipped with a wide range of attachments – 16 are available for Elise900, ranging from various buckets, hoes and dozer blades to specialty items like brushcutter, auger or forestry mulcher – which make them a truly universal piece of equipment.

Cutting-Edge Technology

Hand-in-hand with our highly advanced powertrains come a wide range of hi-tech features that move working with our machines to a new level. From basics like LED working lights in all directions, there are some that are far from the norm among work machines, like Bluetooth connection for smartphones or a rear camera for the Elise900.

The Elise900 maneuvering across the snow. Source: Supplied.

The biggest party trick, however, is the remote control. While this is the only way to operate the MiniZ 400, it is also available for the larger Elise900. This comes in especially handy when working in dangerous environments where having the driver inside the vehicle would be an unacceptable risk.

Strong Brand

While FIRST GREEN Industries is a new name in the world of construction machinery, the company has a long, successful history. Founded in 1991, its tradition of engineering excellence spans three decades. In 2014, the company decided to move the world of construction towards sustainability by introducing a line of electric skid-steer loaders. This plan was realized with the Elise900 and later its smaller brother, the remote-controlled MiniZ 400.