Excavators were originally manually operated; the time spanning from their invention to 2013 exceeds 130 years. During this period, they evolved from steam-powered, slewing-type excavators to those driven by electric motors or internal combustion engines, eventually leading to fully automatic hydraulic excavators that integrate mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic technologies. The first hydraulic excavator was successfully developed by the French company Poclain.
The application of hydraulic technology led to the emergence of tractor-mounted hydraulic backhoe excavators in the 1940s. In 1951, Poclain launched the first fully hydraulic backhoe excavator, opening up new possibilities for excavator technology; subsequently, in the early to mid-1950s, fully hydraulic excavators with full-swing capability-available in both towed and crawler-mounted versions-were developed.
Early prototype hydraulic excavators relied on hydraulic technologies adapted from aircraft and machine tools; they lacked hydraulic components specifically suited to the diverse operating conditions of excavators, suffered from inconsistent manufacturing quality, and lacked a complete range of supporting parts. From the 1960s onwards, hydraulic excavators entered a phase of widespread adoption and rapid growth, characterized by a proliferation of manufacturers and models, as well as a surge in production volume. By the period of 1968–1970, hydraulic excavators accounted for 83% of total excavator production, rapidly approaching the 100% mark.
