The 19C-1E went into full production last year and is the world’s first volume-produced electric mini excavator. Now it has been shortlisted for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s MacRobert Award - the UK’s longest-running engineering prize.

JCB Chief Innovation and Growth Officer Tim Burnhope said: “To be nominated for the UK’s most prestigious engineering award is a tremendous honour for the JCB electric team, who have excelled and risen to the challenge of introducing a brand new technology to our business.”

Naomi Climer CBE FREng |MacRobert Award judge

The JCB 19C-1E has been selected as a finalist for the MacRobert Award alongside the all-electric I-PACE sports utility vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover and ecoSMRT® liquid natural gas reliquification technology from Babcock’s LGE business.

Founded in 1969, the MacRobert Award is overseen by and is the UK’s longest running engineering prize. It endorses engineering achievements that demonstrate outstanding innovation, tangible societal benefit and proven commercial success.

The JCB 19C-1E digger produces no exhaust emissions and the hundreds of models sold around the world so far are already responsible for saving the equivalent of more than 15,000kg in CO2 emissions across more than 5,000 hours of work.