Kubota’s new LXe-261, which has been designed to meet current environmental standards, will be available for rental and displayed in several European shows.
Kubota Corporation is the first Japanese manufacturer* to release a limited number of LXe-261 compact electric tractors in Europe, since the company is actively striving towards carbon neutrality. The LXe-261 will be available for rental in Europe starting in April 2023.
In its Environmental Vision published in 2021, Kubota announced its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. For that reason, Kubota has been transitioning to electric, hybrid, and fuel-cell drives in an effort to decarbonise power sources and reduce CO2 emissions.
An increasing number of European markets are tightening regulations, such as the ban announced for all diesel vehicles in Paris, France by 2024. This has driven local municipalities and other public bodies to find alternatives, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs). In light of these trends, Kubota has been researching and developing electric tractors while carrying out tractor trials in Paris.
This is an important strategic step for Kubota in Europe, as it targets core customer segments such as municipalities and other public bodies which have invested since many years in Kubota’s range of compact tractors, utility vehicles, and ride-on mowers for park maintenance and other groundscare tasks.
Kubota’s new LXe-261 will soon be displayed at several shows in Europe, such as Salon Vert in France, EIMA in Italy, and SALTEX in the UK, which is Europe’s largest turf management show, as well as TrakTour, a series of events currently taking place in Germany.
One of the major challenges of developing electric tractors is its range and operation time. The LXe-261 is therefore equipped with a high-capacity battery that can provide a fast charge of one hour and an average of three to four hours of continuous operation. Thanks to this feature, users will be able to quickly charge the batteries during lunch and continue working in the afternoon without losing time.
The LXe-261 includes key features for mowing, hauling, and other green space management tasks, such as an independent PTO, a comfortable HST transmission and several hydraulic outlets. All this in a compact size, which makes this model particularly convenient.
After its release, Kubota will receive customer feedback and take note of any issues found by users during the rental period to gain further insights, and keep developing eco-friendly products which further expand the product lineup.
Electric Tractor Rental Overview
| Tentative launch | April 2023 |
| Target area | Europe (France, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, etc.) |
| Target customers | Municipalities and public bodies |
| Contract term | 2–5 years |
LXe-261 Overview
| Name | LXe-261 Compact Electric Tractor |
| Maximum output | 19.1 kw (26 horsepower class) |
| Battery | Lithium-ion battery |
| Potential applications | Mowing, hauling, and fertilization in parks and other groundscare tasks |
*As of August 2022; based on internal research
