Bobcat Compact Excavation heads to the Executive Hire Show 2026
The compact equipment rental market is going through a quiet but decisive shift. Hire fleets are under pressure to deliver more capable machines that are easier to operate, cheaper to run, quieter on site and flexible enough to serve a widening range of applications. Bobcat’s decision to unveil its new generation R2-Series 1 to 2 tonne mini excavators at the Executive Hire Show in February 2026 lands with real weight for the UK and European hire industry.
Rather than a cosmetic refresh, the R2-Series represents a fundamental re-engineering of Bobcat’s smallest excavators, with hydraulic performance, efficiency and operator control lifted from larger machines and brought into a size class that dominates urban construction, utilities, landscaping and indoor work. For hire companies juggling utilisation, fuel costs and increasingly demanding customers, the implications are significant.
A Strategic Reset for the 1 to 2 Tonne Segment
Mini excavators in the 1 to 2 tonne category have become the backbone of modern hire fleets. They are compact enough for restricted sites, powerful enough for daily contracting work and familiar to a broad user base. Yet many machines in this class have long been constrained by basic hydraulic systems, limited multi-function capability and rising operating costs.
Bobcat’s R2-Series is positioned as a direct response to those constraints. The new line-up replaces the previous M-Series models with four machines designed specifically around the needs of the rental market. The focus is not on headline specifications alone, but on delivering consistent performance across a wide range of operators, attachments and job types.
By choosing the Executive Hire Show as the launch platform, Bobcat is clearly signalling that hire remains central to its compact equipment strategy. The show, held at the Coventry Building Society Arena, remains the UK’s only national event dedicated entirely to the hire sector, bringing together plant, tool and equipment professionals in one place. For manufacturers, it is where product decisions are scrutinised through the lens of fleet economics rather than showroom appeal.
R2-Series Models and Fleet Relevance
The new R2-Series covers the most commercially active end of the mini excavator spectrum. The range includes the E16, E17z, E19 and E20z, directly replacing the outgoing E17, E17z, E19 and E20z machines. Each model targets a specific niche within the sub-2 tonne category, from ultra-compact zero tail swing work to applications where lifting capacity and hydraulic output are critical.
What unites the line-up is a design philosophy centred on hire durability and operational simplicity. These machines are expected to pass through multiple operators, often within a single week, and still deliver predictable results. Controls, access points and serviceability have been developed with that reality in mind, reducing the learning curve for end users while supporting faster turnaround for fleet owners.
The result is a compact excavator range that does not ask hire companies to compromise between performance and practicality. Instead, it aims to raise the baseline for what renters can expect from a 1 to 2 tonne machine.
Hydraulic Technology Borrowed from Larger Machines
The most consequential change in the R2-Series lies beneath the panels. Bobcat has introduced its SmartFlow load-sensing hydraulic system to these smaller excavators, paired with a closed-centre, flow-sharing valve block and an upgraded engine. This configuration, more commonly found on significantly larger machines, marks a clear step change in compact excavator design.
In practical terms, the system delivers power only when and where it is needed. Hydraulic flow adjusts dynamically based on operator input and load demand, rather than running at full output regardless of task. This allows the machine to maintain consistent performance while reducing wasted energy.
For operators, the difference is felt in smoother control and greater precision. Multiple hydraulic functions can be carried out simultaneously without the hesitation or power drop that often affects smaller excavators. Slewing, tracking and lifting can all be performed together, even when driving high-demand attachments.
Multi-Function Performance in Confined Spaces
One of the long-standing frustrations with compact machines has been their tendency to struggle when asked to do more than one thing at a time. This limitation becomes particularly visible when running hydraulic attachments such as flail mowers, augers or breakers.
With the R2-Series, Bobcat has addressed that issue directly. The SmartFlow system ensures that even when an attachment is drawing significant hydraulic power, the excavator retains smooth, predictable movement across all functions. Operators can drive, slew and lift while maintaining full attachment performance, without the machine feeling strained.
For hire customers, this translates into higher productivity on site. Jobs are completed faster, with less operator fatigue and fewer compromises in how the machine is used. For hire companies, it reduces the risk of misuse and mechanical stress caused by operators pushing equipment beyond its comfortable operating range.
Fuel Efficiency and Noise Reduction as Commercial Advantages
Efficiency is no longer a secondary consideration in the hire market. Rising fuel costs, environmental expectations and urban working restrictions have pushed consumption and noise levels to the forefront of fleet decision-making.
Bobcat reports that the new hydraulic and engine combination delivers fuel savings of up to 18 per cent compared to the previous generation, alongside a noise reduction of 4 dBA. While these figures may appear incremental on paper, their cumulative impact across a hire fleet can be substantial.
Lower fuel consumption reduces direct operating costs for customers and improves machine appeal in competitive rental markets. Reduced noise levels open up opportunities for work in residential areas, indoor environments and noise-sensitive sites where older machines may face restrictions. For hire companies, these factors directly influence utilisation rates and customer satisfaction.
Designed with the Hire Industry in Mind
Beyond performance metrics, the R2-Series reflects a broader understanding of how hire machines are actually used. Rental equipment must endure frequent transport, variable maintenance schedules and operators with differing levels of experience.
Bobcat’s approach has been to integrate advanced technology without adding unnecessary complexity. Features previously reserved for larger excavators have been adapted to work intuitively in a compact format. This balance is critical in hire environments, where sophisticated systems must deliver benefits without increasing the risk of misuse or downtime.
The result is a machine range that supports both short-term rental customers and long-term fleet planning, offering durability alongside modern performance expectations.
Portable Power Complements Compact Plant
Bobcat’s presence at the Executive Hire Show is not limited to compact excavation. Alongside the R2-Series, the company is presenting its PA12.7V portable compressor, highlighting the breadth of its rental-focused portfolio.
The PA12.7V is a variable pressure compressor equipped with FlexAir technology, allowing operation across a pressure range of 5.5 to 12.1 bar. Free air delivery can be adjusted between 5.2 and 7 cubic metres per minute, enabling a single unit to support a wide range of applications.
This flexibility is particularly valuable for hire companies looking to rationalise fleets without limiting customer choice. The same compressor can be used for general construction tasks, powering pneumatic tools, abrasive blasting or cable blowing, reducing the need for multiple specialist machines.
A Broader Rental Ecosystem
Bobcat’s compact equipment and portable power offerings sit within a wider ecosystem aimed squarely at the hire industry. The company maintains extensive line-ups of loaders, excavators, telehandlers, compact tractors, mowers and material handling equipment, supported by a comprehensive range of attachments, parts and services.
This breadth allows hire companies to standardise across a single supplier while still meeting diverse customer requirements. For large rental groups, it simplifies training, servicing and fleet management. For independent hirers, it offers access to professional-grade equipment with predictable support.
The R2-Series launch reinforces this strategy, strengthening Bobcat’s position in one of the most competitive segments of the hire market.
The Executive Hire Show
The Executive Hire Show has established itself as a focal point for the UK hire industry. Unlike broader construction exhibitions, its audience is defined by rental economics, asset management and customer demand rather than contractor preferences alone.
For Bobcat, unveiling the R2-Series at this event ensures direct engagement with decision-makers who understand the commercial realities of fleet investment. It also places the new machines in a context where performance claims are evaluated against utilisation rates, maintenance costs and return on investment.
As the hire sector continues to professionalise and consolidate, platforms like the Executive Hire Show remain critical for shaping purchasing decisions and industry direction.
A Legacy of Compact Innovation
Bobcat’s influence on compact equipment is well established. Since its early innovations in small, manoeuvrable machinery, the brand has consistently shaped expectations around what compact machines can achieve.
Today, Bobcat operates as part of Doosan Bobcat, within the wider Doosan Group. Based in Bundang, South Korea, the company continues to serve global markets with a focus on practical innovation rather than incremental change.
The R2-Series reflects that philosophy. By transferring proven hydraulic concepts from larger excavators into the smallest machines in the range, Bobcat is redefining performance expectations at the entry level of professional excavation.
Compact Machines with Outsized Impact
The introduction of the R2-Series is more than a product update. It signals a shift in how compact excavators are engineered, specified and evaluated within the hire industry.
For contractors, it means access to smaller machines that no longer feel like a compromise. For hire companies, it offers an opportunity to refresh fleets with equipment that supports efficiency, flexibility and customer satisfaction. For the wider construction and infrastructure sector, it underlines the growing importance of compact, adaptable machinery in delivering modern projects.
As the Executive Hire Show opens its doors in February 2026, the R2-Series is set to become one of the most closely watched launches of the event, not because it is new, but because it reflects where the hire market is heading next.
