10 things you should know about JCB electric mini excavators

With urbanisation, comes the challenge of machines operating more closely with people, food production, hospitals, as well as underground and indoors.

The 19C-1E offers zero emissions at point of use without any compromise on performance. For niche, emission sensitive environments where air quality is measured, this machine can work indoors, underground and in sensitive enclosed environments without the need for costly extraction equipment or any restrictions on the exposure the workforce can have to the machine.

JCB Engineers have taken our premium specification diesel-powered 19C-1 conventional tailswing model and converted it without losing any specification. There is no compromise on performance with everything equivalent to its diesel counterpart.

The machine shares the same structure, canopy, dig end, hydraulics and controls and it performs in exactly the same way. The only change is that the power pack changes from a diesel to electric and the fuel gauge is replaced with a charge level readout.

As the working conditions on sites become more and more restricted, safety becomes more and more important.

With no tethers, unsafe trailing cables or extractors, the 19C-1E gives operators the freedom to work anywhere, at any time, with quick charging and no compromise on performance. This is the perfect machine for contractors who are working in emissions-sensitive inner-city environments or even inside buildings. And when rail contractors operate in tunnels and underground the new JCB electric mini means there is be no need to install costly exhaust extraction equipment.

Utilising leading-edge automotive battery technology, the 19C-1E delivers all of the performance of a conventional 1.9-tonne mini with a reduction of both internal and external noise levels.

In fact, at 7dBA lower than its traditional diesel stablemate, it is a massive five times quieter. This opens up further possibilities for contractors working after normal hours in urban streets without disturbing residents or for operating during normal working hours in noise sensitive environments, such as hospitals and schools. The 7dB reduction in external noise levels also allows for improved communication with co-workers / banksmen in any space.

The JCB 19C-1E can be powered by three or four lithium-ion batteries, to provide 15kWh or an optional 20kWh of energy storage.

The 3-battery pack will last for 4 continuous hours, equivalent to a full day's work, dependent on the type of job. JCB’s monitoring of mini excavator usage across the globe suggests this far exceeds the daily usage of the majority of machines in this class – even including idle time. The high efficiency of this advanced electric-hydraulic combination means a considerably lower cooling requirements which contributes to the longer battery life, as well as the much lower noise level. 

The machine is initially equipped with both 110V and or 230V charging, while a fast charge option of 415V is available and will charge from empty in just two hours.

The 230V 16A supply requires an eight-hour charge time from empty, while the 110V supply would require a 12-hour charge time. An on-board charger is provided as standard. This excellent chargeablity is not detrimental to the life span of the batteries which have been designed to last the operating life of the machine – up to 3000 charge cycles.

The purchase price of the 19C-1E is more than its diesel counterpart, however, certain benefits of the electric model can still make running the machine cost effective for the owner and end user alike.

These include savings in manpower, fuel, servicing and the cost of auxiliary fume extraction equipment.

The key components of the JCB electric mini are protected from the rigours of off-highway construction use by a robust new battery pack housing.

Sitting deeper within the structure of the machine this also means they cannot easily be stolen. In fact, it would take several hours to remove the batteries.

The 19C-1E enables reduced servicing time and costs. It also boasts the same DNA as every other JCB Next Generation mini and has been designed and built to withstand the toughest of job sites.

There is no maintenance required on the battery packs at all and daily checks are reduced to a minimum (just the hydraulics) - increasing time on site. That means less reliance on diligent operators and a better protected investment.

Just like every other JCB machine, the 19C-1E electric mini excavator is backed by unrivalled support from JCB’s nationwide dealer network.

Those dealers have all undergone full sales and service training to be able to provide world-class back-up for the electric model. But with long-lasting components and easy, cost-effective repairs, it ensures minimum downtime and maximum profits.