News Release

The spearhead of Yanmar's new electric range, the SV17e mini excavator, has been operational on French construction sites since the end of March. Meeting the expectations placed on it—namely, significantly reduced emissions while maintaining efficiency—the machine already shows solid potential.

Fresh out of the factory and already in action: Atout Négoces BTP, a Yanmar partner since 2011, became in March 2025 the first dealer in Europe to have the new SV17e in its stock. A short stay at the dealer’s yard, as both units received are already hard at work on construction sites.

"Zero emissions," for cleaner work

What could be more natural for a Made in France machine than to make its first moves on French soil? One of the two electric compact excavators — produced at Yanmar’s Saint Dizier facility — has already showcased its full capabilities on a construction site in the heart of Paris.
As Thibaud Jorel, President of Vexin Location, explains: "As the work was being carried out underground, we absolutely had to avoid gas emissions, both for the comfort and health of the operators. Electric power was therefore the ideal solution.

Emissions don't just mean gas or exhaust fumes, but also noise pollution. The noise generated by machines can sometimes be a distressing factor for site workers. All the more so when the site is enclosed or recessed, as is the case in this cellar on the Ile de la Cité. "We regularly work indoors, so obviously gas emissions are a real issue for us. But the fact that the SV17e is much quieter than its thermal counterparts is also a big plus in terms of comfort," says Mr. Jorel.

Features perfectly in tune with today's (and tomorrow's) constraints

A view widely shared by Vianney Ganoote, Director of Atout Négoces BTP, for whom there is no doubt that the electric mini-excavator will meet many market needs: "These are machines that will undeniably add value, as they are useful for very specific applications. I'm thinking of demolition work in confined spaces or urban environments, where you don't want to pollute or make noise.

Now that the SV17e's features have already been observed and validated, the compact electric excavator will soon be able to exercise its talents on other sites. “We have another project on the water network, but on-call, i.e. during the night”, explains Mr. Ganoote, "if water leaks occur at night in the middle of the city, we need to intervene quickly. As the SV17e is much quieter than the thermal version, it is perfectly suited to this kind of situation.

One of the great advantages of the SV17e is its ability to operate silently. It can be used in noise-sensitive areas such as parks, golf courses, urban hubs and even indoors. This silent operation also improves operator comfort, reducing noise-related fatigue.

This quality has not been achieved at the expense of other elements that are essential for any construction machine. Compact yet powerful, the SV17e has a travel speed of 2.2 to 4.2 km/h, a digging force of 9.9 kN with a short arm and 8.9 kN with a long arm, and up to 16 kN with a European bucket. Its tractive force reaches 12.8 kN in first gear and 8.1 kN in second, guaranteeing efficient mobility on site. Thanks to a control lever ntegrated into the blade, both speeds are easily selectable, providing welcome versatility.

Last but not least, the hydraulic system delivers a flow rate of 51.2 l/min at a pressure of 210 bar, guaranteeing consistent power and efficiency, even on demanding jobs. With this perfect blend of performance, durability and respect for the environment, Yanmar continues to set the standard for successfully meeting the challenges set out in the Yanmar Green Challenge 2050.

A nascent market

While Vianney Ganoote acknowledges that the electric market is not yet “fully mature”, he has no doubt that many rental agencies and construction companies will be interested in integrating electric mini-excavators into their fleets.
"The equipment is more high-end, of course, but we're betting on long-term amortization. Electric systems are more reliable and require less maintenance than internal combustion engines, so they'll pay for themselves in the long term," explains the director of Atout Négoces BTP.

So, is it safe to say that electric machines are a hit? "It would be great to be able to offer our customers the entire Yanmar electric range. With the wheel loader (V8e) and the carrier (C08e) in addition to the mini-excavator, we could cover most applications in our sector", anticipates Mr. Ganoote. "All we need now are projects adapted to these machines to launch the first orders.”