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LiuGong brings its electric 820TE compact wheel loader to North America
Construction Equipment

LiuGong brings its electric 820TE compact wheel loader to North America

By Heavy-shift 3 min read
LiuGong brings its electric 820TE compact wheel loader to North America
LiuGong brings its electric 820TE compact wheel loader to North America

LiuGong brings its electric 820TE compact wheel loader to North America

LiuGong North America has added the battery-electric 820TE compact wheel loader to its lineup — the latest step in the Chinese manufacturer's push to grow an electric portfolio in the U.S. market. Trade publication Equipment World reported in early September 2026 that the 820TE has now arrived in North America, joining the 856HE electric wheel loader and the 27-tonne 924FE electric excavator, which LiuGong launched in the region in August 2026.

The machine is built around a 70.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery from CATL, operating at a nominal 309 V with liquid cooling and a five-year, 10,000-hour warranty covering the battery, motor and controller. LiuGong rates the permanent-magnet drive motor at 50 kW — the equivalent of roughly 67 hp — and quotes 8 to 10 hours of runtime per charge. A full recharge takes under 70 minutes on the company's 60 kW charger, and an optional 80 kW DC fast charger takes the pack from about 12 to 95 percent in under an hour. Equipment World puts fast charging in the 60- to 90-minute range.

As configured for North America, the loader has an operating weight of 7,100 kg (15,653 lb), a rated payload of 2,000 kg and a standard 1.2 m³ bucket, with options spanning 0.8 to 2.0 m³. LiuGong North America's product pages list a breakout force of 61 kN, a lifting cycle under 10 seconds and travel speeds up to 24.9 mph (40 km/h).

The drivetrain is a single-motor electric drive mated to a fixed-axle transmission with two forward speeds and one reverse — a layout that eliminates the torque converter found on conventional loaders. LiuGong says the design improves transmission efficiency by more than 15 percent, while an energy-recovery system feeds power back to the battery during braking and gear changes. Electric ancillaries also cut noise and vibration; LiuGong says cab noise is at least 10 dB lower than on a comparable diesel loader, a factor that matters to landscapers, municipalities and other operators working in noise- and emission-sensitive environments.

LiuGong, which describes itself as the world's largest wheel-loader manufacturer, has developed electric construction machinery since 2014 and has invested more than USD 100 million in the program. Its first-generation electric loaders and excavators reached the market in 2020, and the company says its electric machines have accumulated more than 12 million operating hours globally, with fleet batteries already exceeding 20,000 hours in the field and 40,000 hours the target.

The cost argument is central to the sales pitch. LiuGong claims its electric loaders cut five-year operating costs by up to 70 percent and maintenance costs by up to 50 percent versus comparable diesel models, citing analysis of more than 200 customer job sites. The savings come from eliminating fuel, fewer oil and filter changes and no transmission or torque-converter rebuilds — though buyers still have to price in charging infrastructure.

The 820TE was previewed at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas in March 2026, where LiuGong outlined the electric range it plans for North America. In July the company said its globally proven battery-electric portfolio was coming to the region after years of commercial operation elsewhere, naming the 856HE and 820TE among the first machines. With the compact loader now following those models to market, LiuGong is betting that battery power can win over North American buyers in the 2-tonne loader class — a segment where noise, emissions and total cost of ownership are increasingly deciding factors.

Sources

Construction Equipment Electrification