Cat continues to perfect its mini excavator lineup. The company announced three new models this month. These latest additions — the Cat 301 CR micro, 302.4 CR, and 302.6 — expand the lineup’s smaller end. The 301 CR squeezes through narrow doorways. The 302.4 CR and 302.6 complement the Cat 302, expanding Caterpillar’s lineup in the 2- to 3-metric-ton range. These arrivals follow a busy stretch for Cat’s mini excavator portfolio, which continues to expand via clever technology and cool application-focused model iterations.

Cat 301 CR squeezes into tight-access jobs

The Cat 301 CR replaces the 300.9D, and it is a tiny digger-tool carrier. It definitely targets indoor demo, with its retractable undercarriage and its ability to fit through doorways. The 301 CR is also compatible with the B1 Pin On hammer for quickly breaking up concrete and asphalt. Yet this unit could find work in lots of applications where space is limited (like backyard landscaping, as an example).

Its undercarriage retracts to 28.7 inches and expands to 43.3 inches. Operators can also fold down the rollover protective structure for access, with machine height dropping below 72 inches. It’s nimble. The machine fits through doorways measuring 30 inches wide and 78 inches tall. Remember, this is a compact-radius design, which means the rear of the machine has reduced overhang to help near walls and other fixed obstacles. The 301 has a max operating weight of 2,712 pounds.

How strong is it? The Cat 301 CR can lift up to 868 pounds over the front at a 6-foot radius and 3-foot height.

“Customers asked for a machine in the one-ton class that is simple and comfortable to operate, while offering stability for lifting heavy weights,” explained Zach Waite, commercial director at Caterpillar Industry Solutions, in this press release. “Our new 301 CR excavator delivers. To enhance stability, the 301 CR is 26 percent wider than the 300.9D, with a fully expanded undercarriage. We also increased lift capacity by more than 80 percent from the 300.9D to elevate machine performance and flexibility in the field.”

We got a preview of the 301 CR at Conexpo earlier in 2026, and the unit has planned commercial availability in early 2027.

Cat 301 CR updates and key features

• Simplified gauge cluster
• Side-mounted joystick controls
• Expandable blade and undercarriage
• Top travel speed up to 2.2 mph (double the travel speed compared of the 300.9D) 
• Closed-loop swing system delivers fast cycle times, improved energy efficiency, and generates less heat than the 300.9D
• Second auxiliary hydraulics option for operating mechanical work tools
• Standard LED boom work light
• Tilt-up seat provides easy access to the engine bay and key service points
• Stick force of 1,394 pounds, 38 percent higher than the 300.9D’s
• VisionLink gives owner/operators insights into operating hours and location

Cat 302.4 CR and 302.6 put width to work

Stepping up just a smidge, the new Cat 302.4 CR and 302.6 occupy the 2.4- and 2.6-metric-ton classes, respectively. Both use wide, fixed undercarriages to support lifting and stability. The 302.4 CR has a 59-inch track width, wider than the 302 CR’s. Its lift capacity reaches 2,160 pounds, and top travel speed reaches 3 miles per hour. Lift capacity increases 40 percent over the 302.7 CR with a fixed undercarriage, a gain exceeding 1,000 pounds.

“We focused on four key areas to help deliver customer value with these units,” said Waite in this press release. “Cost-effective transportability, stability when lifting heavy loads, high ground clearance for working on trails with the fixed undercarriage, and an easy-to-operate, smoother, more efficient hydraulic system. Customers will be able to use a wide range of work tools like hammers and demolition attachments, given the high auxiliary hydraulic flow.”

Also, the 302.4 CR and 302.6 share components and control-layout conventions with Cat’s other Next Generation mini excavators. That’s, of course, something our operators and fleet masters love to see. These units are also easy to trailer. The 302.6 weighs 6,681 pounds, less than the 302.7 CR, which can simplify transport. CDL requirements depend on the truck-and-trailer combination. They also travel fast themselves. The 302.4 CR has a top-end travel speed of 3 mph.

Cat continues to upgrade its mini lineup overall  

These types of enhancements have become common news for Cat. For example, in October 2025, the 305 CR gained Ease of Use Indicate for depth and slope guidance, plus E-Fence, which allows operator-set boundaries. Around the same time, Cat also announced a Laser Catcher option for compatible Next Generation Ease of Use machines in the 5- to 10-metric-ton classes — great for maintaining a grade reference after repositioning.

As you maybe noticed from the enhancements above, Cat is sort of obsessing over speeding up its mini excavators (if speed can be used to describe these slow machines). Late last year, the 303.5 CR received a software update that improved its transient travel speeds by up to 25 percent. The update supports machines built since initial production in 2021, which is also pretty cool. Meanwhile, Cat announced its 308 CR, 309 CR, and 310 would now use small-displacement C2.8 engines. It announced optional third auxiliary circuits for those units to support more complex hydromechanical tools as well.

In January 2026, Cat introduced the 308 CR Fixed Boom to replace the 307.5 Fixed Boom. This new unit’s turbocharged C2.8 engine delivers 69 net horsepower, with gross horsepower up 25 percent over its predecessor. With the long stick, digging depth reaches 185 inches, and maximum reach extends to 272 inches. There’s lot of available tech here, too (Indicate, E-Fence, and aftermarket Cat Grade Advanced 2D and 3D systems). The 308 CR Fixed Boom targets crews that need strong digging, lifting, and attachment performance in confined work areas.

Taken together, these updates show Cat really tailoring more mini excavators to specific jobs — tight-access demo, heavy-lift projects, and precise grading. It’s an interesting differentiator. In a busy market like mini excavators, where there are over 20 brands, the ability to upfit your machines for the exact operation is an attractive proposition.