This report concerns the market in France for mini excavators, featuring both diesel and electric engines, capable of being turned through 360 degrees. The machines may be mounted on tracks or wheels, but 99 per cent are on rubber tracks and around one per cent are on steel tracks. They range in weight from less than 0.8 tonnes to 6.0 tonnes. The industry considers machines below 0.8 tonnes to be micro excavators, whilst units in the 6 and 8 tonne categories are commonly referred to as midi excavators. Although these form the top of certain suppliers' ranges, they are excluded from this report.

This report acknowledges the start of growing sales of mini excavators that are equipped with an electric battery and engine to power electric operation working with an open circuit.

The progress of larger machines has become entangled with the development of zero tailswing mini excavators. These are machines with a structure in the cab and upper works that does not exceed the width of the tracks. Mini excavators are also available with hydraulically retractable undercarriages and blades for access to tight spaces, with a tail that swings within a circle no larger than the width of the tracks. Beyond the concept of zero tailswing comes the redesign of the boom into an offset configuration, creating the ultra-narrow mini excavator. This approach has made these machines narrower and more popular, whereas larger mini excavators need to operate with loaded buckets within the width of half a road.

This report is an update of the study Off-Highway Research published in December 2021 and examines the changes that have taken place since then. The data in the report originates from Off-Highway Research's own in-house database and from information collected during an interview programme in France undertaken at Bauma show in April 2025, which included the two local manufacturers and the leading importers and distributors.