bauma 2025: Construction Equipment Launches Demonstrate Technology Advancements
bauma 2025 once again showcased the latest technological developments in the construction and mining industries. Equipment manufacturers from around the world debuted new machines of various types and sizes aimed at helping customers get their work done in a productive, efficient and safe manner.
Many of the machine launches and updates shown at bauma were in line with the larger industry trends driving developments in all sectors of the heavy-duty mobile equipment industry — electrification, automation and digitalization.
Construction equipment is one of the largest customer markets for the fluid power industry, particularly hydraulics. As such, seeing what new machines were launched at bauma 2025 and how they fit in with larger industry trends can help inform future fluid power designs to ensure hydraulics and pneumatics remain technologies of choice within this and other mobile equipment industries.
Following is an overview of the construction and mining equipment introduced at bauma 2025 to help the fluid power industry understand where OEMs are focusing their development efforts.
Caterpillar Introduces Machines with Enhanced Safety and Autonomous Capabilities
In 2025, Caterpillar Inc. is celebrating its 100th anniversary. At bauma it featured 48 total machines with 17 of them being new introductions to demonstrate both its history and focus on future innovations.
New machines on display included additions to the company’s line of battery-electric equipment, Next Generation machines as well as those to its Demolition, Waste Handling, and Recycling portfolios.
Among the machines Caterpillar introduced at bauma 2025 was the new 330 UHD Ultra High Demolition Hydraulic Excavator. It comes standard with the company’s Stability Monitoring System which uses an in-cab 10-in. touchscreen monitor to display the machine’s stability via swing angle and front position. This helps to ensure safer operation.
For further safety assurance, customers can specify the Hydraulic Variable Gauge undercarriage for the 330 UHD to provide the additional stability needed when using large work tools.
Also debuted at the show was the new Cat 775 off-highway truck, a 65-tonne (71-ton) machine designed to enable fully autonomous capabilities in the future. It is equipped with the company’s Autonomous Hauling Systems (AHS), Cat MineStar Command for hauling which has been in use in mine sites around the world for several years now. Further autonomous capabilities are currently under development for the system according to the company and will be released at a future date at which point they will be available for the new off-highway truck.
Autonomy is a key development focus for Caterpillar and many other OEMs to help customers overcome labor challenges. Like many industries, construction and mining are facing a lack of skilled labor entering it. By enabling certain machine functions to be automated, tasks can be easier to complete, and less rework undertaken to help keep operations productive.
Bobcat Introduces New Generation of Mini Excavators
Bobcat showed its new R2 Series 1-2 tonne mini excavators for the first time at bauma 2025 as well as its advancements in electrification and automation.
CASE Showcases Advancements in Electrification and New Concept Machine
CASE Construction Equipment introduced a number of new machines at bauma 2025, including engine- and battery-powered options as well as its latest concept design.
Among its newer engine-driven machines on display were the 421G and 1021G+ X-Drive wheel loaders. Both include updates to the operator cab to provide a safer and more comfortable working environment. Updates were made to the machines’ drivelines as well to aid productivity for operators. The 421G features a shift-on-fly transmission offering a seamless transition between ratios while the 1021G+ utilizes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to help optimize fuel efficiency, productivity and safety.
CASE’s new CX38D excavator, also exhibited at bauma, includes updates to the operator cab and driveline along with electro-proportional auxiliary controls to provide ease of use and precision.
New to its electrification offering is the CX210ZQ, a full-size electric excavator built in conjunction with Moog. It is powered by Moog’s ZQUIP modular battery system that allows for quick battery swapping when necessary and now has the ability to use a combination of engine and battery technology if required.
CASE also debuted its new machine concept Impact, an electric compact wheel loader (CASE eCWL 12EV) with an innovative design that eliminates the traditional operator cab. The wheel loader can be remotely operated from a dedicated control lounge, aiding its use in harsh environments or weather conditions. The company also noted this offers better accessibility for operators who may otherwise not be able to get into a traditional machine cab — helping to improve inclusivity within the industry and thus potentially open up more job opportunities in a sector struggling to find skilled labor.
Other features of the concept wheel loader include an integrated perception system which uses advanced hardware to collect real-time data an in effort to improve efficiency and precision during operation. Impact is also equipped with semi-autonomous functionality that allows for automated digging and dumping operations, further benefiting productivity and efficiency improvements for customers.
Volvo Unveils Electric Articulated Hauler, Emphasizes Power Agnostic Approach
Volvo Construction Equipment’s booth at bauma emphasized its continued work within the electrification space as all of the machines on display were those available in all-electric options. This included updated versions of its compact electric machines, electric-powered options from Volvo Trucks as well as additions to the Volvo Group’s electric lineup.
The company also unveiled its newest electric machine, a battery-electric articulated hauler which is considered to be the first in the world. The A30 Electric articulated hauler will be available to rent for select customers in European markets starting in 2026.
Volvo Trucks showed its latest development, a battery-electric truck-mounted concrete pump developed in collaboration with Putzmeister. Traditionally, a diesel-powered version would sit idling during pump operations causing emissions and noise. But with the all-electric option these can be eliminated. Per the company, it is possible to drive the truck up to 50 km and pump approximately 50 m3 of concrete without any need for charging. For longer distances or larger quantities of concrete, a Combined Charging System (CCS2) charging solution with 63 or 32 A can be installed at the site; it also allows users to keep pumping the concrete while the truck is being recharged.
While zero-emissions electric machines, all of which still rely heavily on hydraulic systems, the company also noted that all machines on display at the show are also available with diesel engines — demonstrating its desire to provide customers with the solution that best fits their needs. The EWR150 wheel excavator, for instance, is now part of Volvo’s all-electric lineup but is also available in a diesel engine-powered version featuring improvements to its hydraulics for fuel efficiency gains.
At bauma, the company held a press conference featuring the leaders of the Volvo Group’s three brands — Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Trucks and Volvo Penta (developer of engines and other powertrain technologies). They spoke about how electrification is a large focus for the group and how the brands are collaborating and sharing technological knowledge to help advance developments while also speaking to the fact that internal combustion engines (ICE) remain important to construction and other industries. As such, the group is continuing to make investments in improving efficiency and other performance aspects.
Fuel cell electric technology is also an area of development emphasis for the Volvo Group. Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, said use of the technology is expected in the company’s vehicles by the beginning of the next decade (2030). Melker Jernberg, President of Volvo Construction Equipment, said he sees possibilities for the use of fuel cells in construction equipment in the future as well.
Essentially, the group does not see there being a one size fits all solution and is therefore continuing to focus technological developments in various powertrain options to suit customers working in various regions and applications.
Chinese Equipment Manufacturers Look to Make Inroads in Europe
Several China-based OEMs exhibited their latest machine designs at bauma as well, further demonstrating the international appeal of the show and efforts being made by these companies to expand their offerings to other regions.
A number of these machines were tailored specifically for the European market while others highlighted the strong electrification focus many of these companies have which would appeal to customers in Europe where there are more emissions regulations and a strong emphasis on achieving climate neutrality. XCMG, for instance, unveiled 13 excavators from its E-Series designed specifically for European markets. They include enhanced performance and efficiency features and were developed in collaboration with various European partners to ensure they would meet the needs of customers in the market.
The company also showed several of its all-electric and hybrid machine models which meet some European region’s zero-emissions and low-noise requirements.
Zoomlion exhibited over 60 products, many of which were equipped with 5G remote control technology as well as electric-drive energy recovery systems to demonstrate its developments in the areas of electrification and automation. Systems integrating industrial internet, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and new energy technologies were also on display.
For the mining sector, Zoomlion showed equipment with built-in intelligence and digital technologies, including unmanned trucks and those which can be operated by remote control, to show its capabilities in creating fully automated digging, transporting, unloading and more.
The company also featured several machines produced locally in Europe which have been developed to meet the performance, technology, standards and design requirements of European customers. Zoomlion recently announced an expansion of its German factory as well as opened a facility in Hungary, both of which will help serve the European market.
SANY Group and LiuGong presented their developments in electrification and engineering for the European market as well. SANY unveiled 11 electric-powered machines for the first time in Europe which included the company’s largest tonnage pure electric crawler crane the SCC2000A-EV, what it says is the industry's first 5-ton all-electric roller STR50E, and the European-adapted electric milling machine SCM500E-10.
Meanwhile, LiuGong introduced five battery-electric machines — the 870HE wheel loader, 924FE and 9018FE excavators, DR50CE rigid mining truck, and the 4280DE motor grader, considered the world's first 24-tonne electric machine of this type.
During bauma, the company held a press conference emphasizing its globalization efforts as well as technological focuses which include further digitalization. “We will further expand our global footprint and establish new regional hubs in Italy, France, and Germany,” said LiuGong Chairman and CEO Zeng Guang'an. “At the same time, we will continue to deepen our collaboration with dealers to provide high-quality equipment and more efficient, professional localized services to our European customers.”
