Bobcat has introduced an enhanced compact loader lineup at ConExpo, expanding operator choice across its compact loader portfolio with updated technology, redesigned electrical systems and a suite of AI-powered tools.
The new R-Series loaders are designed to support operators across experience levels through intuitive controls and simplified operation — a response, Bobcat says, to a construction workforce in which a significant proportion is projected to retire in coming years.
“Bobcat has a long history of challenging conventional ways of working, dating back to the introduction of the first compact loader nearly seven decades ago,” says Gary Hornbacher, president of Doosan Bobcat EMEA. “Today’s generation of loaders reflects that same pioneering mindset – combining the rugged performance customers rely on with smart, intuitive technology that helps operators work more efficiently as jobsite demands continue to evolve.”
The updated R-Series range comprises three compact track loaders — the T66-2, T76-2 and T86-2 — and three skid-steer loaders: the S66-2, S76-2 and S86-2. Bobcat has updated the nomenclature of these models to indicate the latest generation of machines, a system intended to allow new technology and performance enhancements to be introduced more frequently, with model name changes signalling current innovations to customers.
The T86-2 is the flagship of the R-Series line, delivering 115 horsepower and a 3.7m lift height. Cab updates across the range include a high-back heated air-ride seat, an 8-inch glove-friendly touchscreen display, multiple camera views with split-screen capability, Bluetooth connectivity with active noise cancellation, USB and USB-C ports, added cab storage and a dedicated phone holder. Operators can store up to 20 individual profiles.
Four drive modes are available — Balanced, Agile, Dynamic and Charged — each tuned to different applications and operator preferences, from precise grading work to high-productivity open-area operation.
“Each of these updates is aimed at improving reliability, durability and user experience of Bobcat R-Series loaders, ensuring dealers and customers see tangible benefits: less downtime and enhanced capabilities on the job,” says Katinka Kincses, Bobcat product manager for loaders.
Refreshed R-Series models will be available to order in Europe from March, with a European debut planned for the SaMoTer trade fair in Italy in May.
Also on display at ConExpo, Bobcat is showcasing a range of advanced technologies. Jobsite Companion is described as the first AI-enabled solution in the compact equipment industry, allowing operators to control more than 50 machine functions via voice commands, automate attachment settings and access real-time jobsite insights. A built-in job cost dashboard tracks labour, machine and attachment use alongside fuel cost actuals against job estimates. The technology is available as an option on selected loaders in the United States.
Bobcat Sense Detection Systems — available as options on selected loaders in the United States and Canada — include a radar-based Rear Object Detection and Avoidance system, which can alert the operator or automatically slow or stop the loader, and a camera-based 360 People Detection system, which identifies and alerts operators to the presence of people around the machine without intervening in machine motion.
Service.AI is an AI-powered platform designed to reduce equipment downtime by giving dealers and technicians immediate access to repair manuals, warranty details, real-time diagnostic guidance and a historical archive of service cases. Bobcat describes it as a prototype technology capable of delivering step-by-step diagnostic support comparable to a master technician.
Rounding out the ConExpo showcase is RogueX3, Bobcat’s most advanced concept machine to date. Fully electric and capable of operating remotely or autonomously without a cab, it features interchangeable configurations — cab or no cab, wheels or tracks, adaptable lift arms — and is designed to support multiple future power sources, including electric, diesel, hybrid or hydrogen. Building on the earlier RogueX and RogueX2 concepts, RogueX3 has generated multiple pending patents.
Image: Bobcat
