What’s Caterpillar Doing at CES 2024?

An AI-powered hummingbird feeder. A baby monitor with a diaper-detect feature. A mini fridge that grows vegetables, herbs and flowers. A flying car. Those were just a few of the innovations unveiled at CES in January — formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show and self-dubbed “the most powerful tech event in the world.”

Given that, I’ll forgive you if you’re wondering why on earth Caterpillar has an exhibit at CES. Science-fiction-like tech may get the attention of the press, but there are dozens of companies showcasing how technologies can solve real-world problems today, not years into the future. Last year Caterpillar showcased the world’s most successful mining autonomous vehicle solution at CES 2023.

Next year you’ll find more technologies ready for use by our demanding customers at the Caterpillar exhibit: a combination of solutions to help our customers electrify jobsites, achieve their sustainability goals and succeed in a reduced-carbon world.

Anyone stopping by our CES exhibit likely will be drawn to the two machines on display: a zero-exhaust-emission underground loader for mining that includes the industry’s only onboard battery with super-fast-charging capabilities, and a mini excavator.

They’re both innovative products, for sure — but putting a battery in a machine is just one piece of the puzzle. Our customers need that machine to work as productively as the diesel-combustion powered equipment they’ve been using for decades. Battery-electric powered machines will require more on-site support and resources to solve challenges such as: Where to charge it? How to ensure there is adequate power capacity? How to manage energy costs? Where to source lower-carbon energy?

On most construction and mining sites, the infrastructure to handle these tasks either doesn’t exist or hasn’t been developed fully yet. No wonder some customers are hesitant about adopting electric machines.

That’s why we’re not simply showcasing battery-electric powered machines at CES. We are demonstrating the broad portfolio of integrated solutions we can offer to help customers get real work done with those machines every day.

That includes:

• On-site power generation — generators that can run on renewable fuels as well as solar panels and hydrogen-powered fuel cells
• Energy storage solutions that work with any combination of diesel, natural gas or renewable energy sources for optimal power
• Chargers tested and validated to work with equipment on harsh construction and mining sites
• Rugged battery packs with built-in telematics
• Inverters that transfer power from a generator or battery to the machine’s electric motor, which in turn delivers optimized power
• Digital monitoring and advanced analytics that make it easier to operate battery-electric machines and infrastructure

No single solution will work for every mining and construction site. But we’re confident there’s a combination that will — and customers can rely on our expertise to select the tools and technologies that make the most sense for their operations. We’re committed to helping them navigate their unique journey to a lower-carbon future.

While we are exhibiting at CES to share our expertise, we know there’s still plenty to learn. Where better to do that than at CES? The show truly does bring together the world’s most innovative minds, which makes it an excellent place to network with potential business partners and suppliers. Caterpillar is open to explore technologies used in different applications and look for solutions outside our traditional industries to help serve our customers.

Exhibiting at CES also gives us an opportunity to attract new talent and show them what Caterpillar is all about. We’re lucky to have some of the best technical talent in the world, but we never stop looking to bring people with new ideas and different skill sets on board.

If you’re planning to attend CES 2024, I encourage you to stop by the Caterpillar exhibit to interact with our team and technologies. Can’t be there in person? Check out our Caterpillar at CES page for a more in-depth look at the exhibit and the solutions we’re showcasing there. Interested in job opportunities? View open positions.

Whether you’re a customer, potential business collaborator or supplier, or prospective employee, we hope you’ll come on the electrification journey with Caterpillar. Together, we can deliver real solutions that address real problems in real applications — starting right now.