LAS VEGAS—Power Systems Research (PSR) sent a team of analysts to the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 Show to talk with exhibitors and about the state of the industry and to learn more about new products.
You can read their impressions of the show, their takeaways from talking withexhibitors and attendees about the state of the industry, and the information they gathered about innovative new products.
Interestingly, the PSR team didn’t see big movement to battery power. They saw more hybrids and hydrogen power moving forward. Battery seemed to be relegated to smaller machines.
LAS VEGAS—Many visitors to the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 show here March 3-7 arrived from the cold and snowy Midwest and East Coast. The show exhibit areas covered 2.9 million square feet; with some of the exhibit areas being outdoors attendees felt the warmer than normal temps this time of year where Las Vegas had a record temperature of 86F on March 1. Those warmer temperatures lingered throughout the week.
This year’s show at the Las Vegas Convention Center drew an estimated 2,000 exhibitors and while attendance figures were not available as we prepared this report, observers said traffic was very heavy and attendance was expected to surpass the record 139,100 figure set at the last show in 2023.
We talked with many industry representatives at CONEXPO, and we generally heard that the North American construction equipment market is performing relatively well and that it is expected to experience low single-digit growth in the near term, with demand remaining stable. Demand continues to be supported by infrastructure investment and ongoing construction activity.
OEM representatives said their cautious forecasts were affected by factors such as interest rates, inflation, tariffs and global supply chain disruptions.
Tariffs were repeatedly mentioned as one of the main uncertainties affecting the industry. Frequent policy changes are impacting equipment pricing, sourcing strategies, and global supply chains. Manufacturers are adjusting sourcing strategies and regional production to mitigate tariff exposure.
The industry is moving toward a dual technology pathway. Electrification continues emerging in compact equipment and adoption is increasing slowly as customers become more familiar with EV solutions. Advanced diesel engines remain dominant in medium and large machines, and according to experts, diesel will remain the dominant technology for a long time.
OEMs said they are investing heavily in new engine platforms, efficiency improvements, telematics and connectivity.
We were able to identify a number of trends, based on field interviews and observations conducted during OEM and engine manufacturer booth visits.
Powertrain, Engine Technology Trends
Diesel engines remain the dominant power solution for medium and large construction equipment. Large equipment used in remote areas still requires internal combustion engines due to power needs and operational constraints. According to interviews made by PSR, diesel will continue to be the preferred power solution.
Manufacturers continue to improve fuel efficiency, simplify engine architecture, and enhance durability. Manufacturers showcased different alternative power solutions and are still exploring and testing hydrogen combustion engines, hybrid systems, and introducing multi-fuel platforms (hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogen, biodiesel, and natural gas) to the market.
Several companies presented prototype hydrogen engine concepts, although these technologies remain in testing phases or with some few customers. One of the key operational challenges for hydrogen equipment is the lack of fueling infrastructure. As an example, Power Systems Research analysts interviewed executives of JCB, and the company explained that its hydrogen combustion engine technology is already on the field with a limited number of customers, although the market is still at an early stage of deployment.
JCB has developed a mobile hydrogen refueling unit in conjunction with a supplier company that delivers hydrogen directly to job sites, so the fuel logistics is handled as part of a service package supporting early adopters. The main takeaway from the interview is that hydrogen combustion technology is technically viable but still constrained by fueling infrastructure.
Regarding multi-fuel platforms, major manufacturers like Perkins and Cummins showcased engines designed to run on low-carbon fuels, including hydrogen, HVO, and natural gas, aiming to provide flexible, lower-emission solutions without sacrificing performance. Cummins next generation X15, and Perkins 2600 Series were showcased at the venue. FPT showcased it´s multi-fuel XCursor 13. Isuzu also presented it´s multi-fuel engine concepts based on its established engine architecture.
Electrification Trends
Compact equipment segments show the highest experimentation with electrification and alternative power solutions, while large machines such as dozers and large excavators continue to rely primarily on diesel power due to high energy requirements.
Electrification is primarily being applied to compact equipment used in urban environments, as well as in some remote applications supported by portable power stations or battery storage units.
Battery-electric prototypes and electric power units were showcased, with some already available in the market and others currently being tested as potential replacements for diesel engines in smaller and medium-sized equipment.
There is a growing trend toward presenting these technologies, and several new models were introduced during the show by different OEMs and engine manufacturers. Examples include the Perkins battery-electric power unit, the Komatsu electric micro excavator PC01E-2 made in Japan, the JLG scissor lift ES1930M Micro-Sized, the mini track loader TL100EV from Case, and the Dynapac CC1000e electric vibratory roller.
Charging infrastructure and operational limitations continue to restrict wider adoption of electric equipment across the broader construction equipment market.
Additional technologies presented included autonomous and robotic equipment, such as the RogueX3, Bobcats third-generation autonomous compact loader concept. This machine was introduced to explore the future of compact construction equipment through electrification, autonomy, and modular machine architecture.
OEM & Engine Manufacturer Highlights
While walking the CONEXPO, we saw several interesting engine platforms and alternative power technologies at engine manufacturer booths. Interestingly, a number of the innovative products were diesel powered.
Diesel Engines
Manufacturer
Engine Model
Displacement
Power
Notes
Cummins
F3.8 Power Unit
3.8 L
74–173 hp
Modular power unit for off‑highway equipment
Cummins
X15 Next Generation
~15 L
Up to ~700 hp
Heavy‑duty multi-fuel engine platform
Perkins
904J‑E36TA
3.6 L
~134 hp
High power density compact diesel engine
Perkins
2606J‑E13TA
~13 L
~690 hp
Large industrial diesel engine platform and multi-fuel
The Agritechnica 2025 trade show, held under the guiding theme “Touch Smart Efficiency,” cemented the industry’s focus on integrating digital intelligence with advanced hardware to achieve higher yields while ensuring environmental and economic sustainability. The primary trend was the transition of alternative power and robotics from concepts into commercially available, high-performance machinery.
The 2025 show was bigger than the previous show in 2023–there were more attendees (476,000 vs. 470,000) and exhibitors (2849 vs 2812) and more countries represented (171 vs. 149). The total space for the two shows was the same–394,000 sq in 24 halls at the Hanover Exhibition Center in Hanover, Germany. The bi-annual show ran Nov. 9-15.
Key New Models and Technology Unveiled Manufacturers focused heavily on hybridization, automation, and engine efficiency:
Automate 2025 (May 12–15, 2025) in Detroit, is North America’s largest trade show and conference dedicated to automation, robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and motion control technologies. John Krzesicki, Business Development Manager at Power Systems Research, will be at the show. Organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the event will feature more than 800 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations across over 320,000 square feet of exhibit space, and is expected to attract upwards of 40,000 attendees from over 100 countries and 40+ industries. You can read show reports on LinkedIn, powersys.com and in our PowerTALK newsletter. For more information on Automate 2025, click here. If you would like to set up a meeting with John, contact him at info@powersys.com. Have a great Automate experience. PSR
Automec, held in Sao Paulo April 22-26, 2025, is the leading event in Latin America in the Replacement and Repair sectors for light, heavy and commercial vehicles, and a team from Power Systems Research (PSR) will be there to report on the happenings. Event organizers expect more than 1,500 exhibitors and as many as 100,000 attendees.
Fabio Ferraresi, Director-Business Development-South America, for Power Systems Research (PSR), and Ivo Garcia Lopes, Senior Associate Consultant, will be at the fair. You can read show reports on LinkedIn, powersys.com and in our PowerTALK newsletter. For more information on Automec Show, click here. If you would like to set up a meeting with Fabio, contact him at info@powersys.com. Have a great Automec experience. #PSR, #automerc, #autoparts, #powersystemsresearch, #PSR, #commercialvehicles
Agrishow (April 28 – May 2, 2025) is the biggest and most important agricultural technology trade show in Brazil and one of the largest in the world. Fabio Ferraresi, Director-Business Development-South America, for Power Systems Research (PSR), and Heitor Aguiari, Agricultural Analyst, will be at the fair. More than 195,000 attendees are projected to visit the show, which will cover 520,000 square meters. You can read show reports on LinkedIn, powersys.com and in our PowerTALK newsletter.
For more information on Agrishow, click here. If you would like to set up a meeting with Fabio, contact him at info@powersys.com. Have a great Agrishow experience. #PSR, #agrishow, #agriculture, #powersystemsresearch, #PSR
Bauma 25 in Munich April 7-13, 2025, will be the year’s largest construction show, and a team from Power Systems Research (PSR) will be there to report on the happenings. Event organizers expect more than 3,500 exhibitors and as many as 600,000 attendees. You can read show reports on LinkedIn, powersys.com and in our PowerTALK newsletter. Our team will include Lynn Olthof, Vice President Business Development; Emiliano Marzoli, Manager, PSR European Operations; Dalibor Sablic, Director Business Development, Christopher Bamforth, European Market Analyst; Lorena Violante, Senior Market Research Consultant; Joseph Coleman, Business Development Representative; and Qin Fen, Business Development Manager. For more information on Bauma 2025, click here. To learn more about Power Systems Research, click here and to see our Bauma team, click here.
If you would like to set up a meeting with a member of the PSR team, contact Lynn Olthof at info@powersys.com. Have a great Bauma experience. #PSR, #bauma2025, #construction, #powersystemsresearch, #PowerTALK.
Hannover Messe (March 31 – April 4, 2025) is the world’s leading annual trade fair for industrial technology, and Dalibor Sablic, Director Business Development at Power Systems Research (PSR) will be there. More than 130,000 attendees are projected to visit the 4,000 exhibitors who are expected at the show. You can read show reports on LinkedIn, powersys.com and in our PowerTALK newsletter. For more information on Hannover Messe, click here. To learn more about Power Systems Research, click here. If you would like to set up a meeting with Dalibor, contact him at info@powersys.com. Have a great Hannover experience. #PSR, #hannover, #industrial, #powersystemsresearch, #PSR
CONEXPO – Summary Report 
