The Five Coolest Concept Machines We Saw at Conexpo 2026

Conexpo is a construction equipment tradeshow that previews things to come. The newest technologies are launched. The coolest machines and services are announced. And, always one of my favorites, concept machines are unveiled. What will the future of construction equipment look like? At Conexpo 2026, a handful of concept machines pushed past normal booth chatter. The best ones I saw explored robotics, autonomy, electrification, alternative fuels, and smarter, connected workflows. Some looked nearly jobsite ready. Others will never be made available to the public. Now I present to you the five best concept vehicles from Conexpo, along with how equipment pros might actually use these future ideas.

Vermeer’s Interlune excavator concept for lunar mining

The strangest excavator at Conexpo did not come from an excavator construction OEM. It came from a space company and Vermeer Corp. Natural resources startup Interlune partnered with Vermeer to build a full-scale prototype excavator designed to operate on the moon. Yep, that moon. The machine is engineered to ingest up to 100 metric tons of lunar soil per hour in a continuous motion. The goal is to harvest helium-3, a rare isotope that could power advanced technologies like quantum computing, fusion energy, and medical imaging. The partnership has even developed a four-step proprietary system to harvest natural resources from space, which it quantifies as: “Excavate, Sort, Extract, and Separate” — according to this article.

It sounds like science fiction, but this idea of continuous excavation systems is a cool one to me. I could see it in surface mining, trenching, and resource recovery machines. Instead of digging, dumping, and repeating, machines could process material nonstop while minimizing energy use and wear. The final Interlune excavator hardware will also be integrated into something called the Interlune Harvester, according to this article. The excavator appears to be just the first product resulting from this interesting joint development agreement.

Takeuchi’s TL11R3e electric concept and Takeuchi TL6 gasoline concept

I saw two very colorful compact track loaders at Takeuchi’s Conexpo booth, and both were interesting concept vehicles. The blue Takeuchi concept machine looked familiar. It is based on Tak’s TL11R3 platform, swapping in electric power for zero-emissions operation. It appears Takeuchi is exploring how to electrify a proven machine architecture that operators already understand. That seems like common sense. According to Takeuchi, the concept targets clean rooms, schools, hospitals, food-processing plants, and tech campuses.

The green Takeuchi CTL concept may have been the most practical surprise of the bunch. It takes the familiar TL6R compact track loader and pairs it with Kawasaki’s GeoTorq gasoline engine. That engine was shown with 72.4 hp at 2,800 rpm, compared with 65.2 hp for the current diesel, plus higher torque. The bigger story, though, is what it removes. No EGR. No DPF. No SCR. No DEF. No aftertreatment, folks. Takeuchi also noted that the engine can run on E10 through E85. Gasoline will not replace diesel, but this niche solution for smaller compact equipment makes sense.

Bobcat’s RogueX3 concept loader

Bobcat has been releasing its Rogue concept loaders for years now, and they are always tré cool. The Rogue series is a set of three concept loaders that are fully electric and autonomy-ready. RogueX is on tracks. RogueX2 is on wheels, and now RogueX3 is engineered for ultimate adaptability. Its modular design allows interchangeable components — cab or no cab, wheels or tracks, configurable lift arms, and more — so users can tailor the machine to specific tasks. 

On a real jobsite, a machine like RogueX3 could fit contractors who bounce between demolition, landscaping, utility prep, and material handling. A rental fleet would also love this idea, right? One base platform, multiple configurations. A fully electric drivetrain enables zero-emission operation, while integrated autonomy enabled by real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning, GPS navigation, sensors, and advanced camera systems supports remote or operator-free use in hazardous or labor-constrained environments. On the battery side, the unit uses Bobcat Standard Unit Packs (BSUP), a fast-charging, modular battery system engineered for jobsite conditions. With modularity as a key aspect of its design architecture, Bobcat noted the machine could be built and powered by electric, diesel, hybrid, or even hydrogen. 

Genie’s zero-gravity lifting assistant

Genie had some very cool technology in its Conexpo booth. It showcased the S-85 XC FE (hybrid) and E (electric) boom lifts. It highlighted its Lift Guard Zone Lighting product — a safety accessory for GS scissor lifts that uses red lasers to project a 2-foot boundary on the ground around the machine, enhancing pedestrian and operator awareness. On top of all that, Genie also showed a clever assistive lifting prototype that could quietly change how crews handle materials at height. The device mounts to a standard scissor lift and uses a manipulator arm to create what Genie called a “zero-gravity” effect. In practice, that means the operator can grab a heavy object and move it around the platform with very little effort.

The system holds the load in position when the operator lets go. Workers can rotate materials horizontally or vertically and position them anywhere around the perimeter of the platform. The prototype shown at Conexpo lifts about 150 pounds and weighs roughly the same, allowing it to operate within the load limits of a typical scissor lift. The whole concept is designed as an accessory that could retrofit onto existing lifts. For contractors, the potential applications are easy to imagine. I’m excited to see where this idea goes.