Expert Rentals of St. Peters, Mo., has expanded its rental fleet with a Case TL100EV electric mini-track loader, which the companies said is the first TL100EV delivered to a customer in the United States.
The machine was sold and delivered by Luby Equipment, a Case Construction Equipment dealer serving customers throughout Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas.
For Chris Graeler, president of Expert Rentals, the significance of the new machine goes beyond being first. He sees the battery-electric mini-track loader as an opportunity to give rental customers access to compact equipment in applications where noise, exhaust emissions and limited space can make conventional construction equipment difficult to use.
“We finally showed up. TL100EV. First one in the U.S.,” Graeler said as the machine arrived. “We're excited to have it. It's a great machine to add to our fleet for interior use.”
Finding New Applications for Compact Equipment
Expert Rentals carries equipment ranging from small handheld tools to excavators weighing 30,000 lbs. The company's customers perform a wide variety of construction, landscaping, maintenance and property improvement work throughout the St. Louis area.
That variety makes versatility particularly important when the company evaluates new equipment for its rental fleet.
Graeler believes the TL100EV can fill a gap for customers working inside buildings and in other environments where a traditional diesel-powered machine may not be the best fit.
“This is a super quiet machine,” he said. “Basically, get inside, do the work. What used to take people, you can get done with the machine now.”
The TL100EV produces zero tailpipe emissions during operation and significantly reduces operating noise compared with conventional diesel equipment. Those characteristics open potential applications in warehouses, commercial buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, manufacturing environments and other enclosed or noise-sensitive locations.
Its compact dimensions add another advantage. In its narrow configuration, the TL100EV can fit through openings as narrow as 36 in., giving contractors the ability to bring powered equipment into areas that are inaccessible to larger skid steers and compact track loaders.
For rental customers, that could mean replacing wheelbarrows, carts and manual material handling with a machine capable of doing considerably more work.
Early Look at TL100EV
Expert Rentals' interest in the TL100EV began before the production machine arrived in Missouri.
Graeler previously had an opportunity to operate the machine during a private demonstration in Burlington, Iowa, where attendees were able to put the electric mini-track loader through an obstacle course and meet members of the team involved in its development.
The experience gave him an early look at how Case approached the controls and operation of an electric machine.
One of the characteristics that stood out was precision.
“The controls on it are very precise,” Graeler said. “If you're running inside buildings, you can easily run down the hallway and not worry about having to slam into stuff.”
The machine's electro-hydraulic controls allow the operator to adjust responsiveness depending on the working environment.
That adjustability is particularly useful for the applications Expert Rentals expects customers to encounter.
“If you're in a tight area, you need to be precise, or you can speed it up if you're running in a wide-open area and make it faster,” Graeler said.
For a rental fleet, where machines may be operated by customers with widely different experience levels, the ability to adjust machine response can be an important feature.
Built to Work, Not Just to Be Electric
Case introduced the production TL100EV in 2026 as the electric counterpart to its diesel-powered TL100 mini-track loader.
The battery-electric machine features a 1,000-lb. rated operating capacity and a 21.2-kWh lithium-ion battery system.
Case designed the TL100EV around the same type of work expected from a conventional mini-track loader, including digging, loading, grading, material handling and operating hydraulic attachments.
The machine is compatible with more than 40 attachments, allowing customers to configure it for different applications rather than dedicating the machine to a single task.
That versatility is particularly important for rental companies.
One customer could rent the TL100EV for interior demolition and material removal, while another could use it for landscaping, grading or property maintenance. Other potential applications include sweeping, augering, trenching and working in areas where reduced noise is beneficial.
The electric powertrain changes how the machine is powered, but the goal remains the same: give the operator a productive piece of compact equipment.
Charging Around Workday
Runtime and charging remain two of the first questions contractors ask when considering battery-electric construction equipment.
According to Case, the TL100EV can provide up to seven hours of runtime on a full charge, depending on the application and operating conditions.
The machine includes an onboard J1772 charging system, allowing it to connect to common AC charging infrastructure. A full charge can be completed in less than eight hours using the onboard system, making overnight charging a practical option for many users.
Faster off-board charging also is available depending on the electrical supply.
Graeler sees the ability to charge during normal breaks in operation as another way customers can incorporate the machine into their workday.
“Plug it in and let it go, charge up overnight while you're not using it,” he said. “Or if you've got breaks throughout the day and you're going to sit idle for a few minutes, just plug it in.”
For a rental company, the TL100EV also provides contractors with a relatively low-risk way to find out whether battery-electric equipment fits their operation.
Instead of purchasing an electric machine based on specifications and estimates, customers can rent one and evaluate runtime, charging, controls and performance on an actual project.
Expanding Expert Rentals' Fleet
The TL100EV is the latest addition to an Expert Rentals fleet that continues to grow with equipment supplied by Luby Equipment.
Expert Rentals also recently added four Takeuchi TL8R2 compact track loaders to its operation.
Graeler previously cited equipment reliability as one of the most important factors in the company's purchasing decisions. Rental equipment has to perform for customers with different experience levels across a wide range of jobs and conditions.
The relationship between Expert Rentals and Luby Equipment also has played a role in the company's continued fleet investment.
Graeler has worked closely with Randy White, Luby Equipment territory sales representative, as Expert Rentals has expanded its equipment offering.
“Working with Luby and Randy White, there has been a great partnership and a friendship for our business,” Graeler said. “We can work with each other and they have definitely met our needs and helped us out.”
Testing Market for Electric Rental Equipment
The arrival of the TL100EV at Expert Rentals will now provide a real-world test of where battery-electric compact equipment fits within the rental industry.
While emissions reduction is one advantage of electrification, Graeler sees practical applications as the more immediate opportunity.
A quiet machine that produces no tailpipe emissions and can travel through a 36-in. opening gives contractors another way to approach work inside buildings and confined spaces.
For Expert Rentals, the next step is getting the machine into customers' hands.
“We're really excited to get this machine out on rent,” Graeler said.
As contractors begin using the TL100EV on actual projects throughout the St. Louis area, Expert Rentals will have an opportunity to see which applications generate the most demand and how customers incorporate charging and electric equipment into their normal workflows.
The first machine may be noteworthy because of where it falls in the TL100EV's rollout in the United States.
What customers choose to do with it could ultimately be the more interesting story.
For more information, visit lubyequipment.com, expert-rentals.com and casece.com. â£
