Bobcat’s new E63 and E85 are its largest compact excavators yet

Updated Jul 22, 2013
Bobcat E85 compact excavator
Bobcat’s new E85 is its largest compact excavator yet.
Bobcat’s new E85 is its largest compact excavator yet.Bobcat’s new E85 is its largest compact excavator yet.

Bobcat has added two new compact excavators to its M-Series lineup that offer boosts in efficiency and performance over their predecessors.

The new E85 minimal tail swing and E63 compact tail swing excavators become the two largest machines in Bobcat’s compact excavator family.

The E63 replaces the E60. A 6.3-metric-ton machine, the E63 has an operating weight of 13,779 pounds and features a blade float, multi-function joysticks and an auto-shift drive system.

Bobcat E63 compact excavatorBobcat E63 compact excavator

With the E63, Bobcat has increased horsepower 13.5 percent over the E60 to 59.4 horsepower. Bobcat has also shifted the undercarriage to the rear of the E63 to increase efficiency. The E63 features 11.6 inches of tail swing overhang. The additional tail swing helps out when working on side slopes. The E63 has a blade height is 16.1 inches—21 percent more than the E60.

On both machines, Bobcat has also included a new blade float feature that allows operators to both excavate and fill material with just the one machine.

The E63 boasts 5,767 foot-pounds of arm force and is built to dig to depths of 13 feet, 6 inches. Bobcat boosted bucket force on the E63 to 9,731 foot-pounds.

Powered by a 59.4-horsepower, Tier 4 diesel engine, the 8.5-ton E85 boasts better performance through improved arm force of 8,069 foot-pounds and bucket force of 14,509 foot-pounds—an increase of 18 percent over its predecessor. The E85 has an operating weight of 18,960 pounds.

With 5.8 inches of tail overhang, and a boom swing frame that stays within the tracks, the E85’s minimal profile allows for work in compact spaces.

Both the E63 and E85 feature a new Auto-Shift travel feature, which removes the need to manually downshift by automatically shifting the excavator into low range and back to high range.

Once inside the new machines, you’ll notice both have a bit more foot room thanks to the machines’ multi-function controls which incorporate boom swing and auxiliary hydraulic functions.

Both the E63 and E85 feature a new full-color display like those typically found on larger machines. The display’s home screen gives operators at-a-glance information on fuel level, coolant temperature, day/time, throttle position and engine rpm. From the display, operators can select auxiliary hydraulic fuel modes and rates.