Kubota expands its U Series with new U48-5 compact excavator

Kubota

Kubota Tractor Corporation is building upon its U Series of machines with the introduction of the new U48-5 compact excavator. 

The U48-5 is a tight tail swing 4.8 tonne, tech-forward machine packed with advanced features.

This announcement comes on the heels of the company’s recent introduction of the new KX057-5 and the U55-5, both offering various upgrades from their previous -4 models. The company also launched a new quick coupler for its 3 to 4-ton excavator class, now available for the KX040 at Kubota dealerships.

The new U48-5 features a 5,015 kg operating weight, 40.4 hp, a working range that includes a max digging depth of  3.25 metres and an impressive bucket breakout force of 4,220 kg. 

“The U48-5 is a brand-new machine that gives Kubota and our customers unique flexibility in the compact excavator model line up across conventional and reduced tail swing offerings in the 2-to-6-ton weight classes,” said Patrick Baker, Kubota construction equipment product manager.

“The 4 to 5-ton class is our sweet spot, anchored by the KX040, and by expanding the U Series, we now have a unique offering that includes all the power of a conventional tail swing in a tight tail for another perfectly matched machine for any job and application.”

Power backed by tech 

The U48-5 compact excavator offers a technology-packed cab for smart, instinctive functionality right at the operator’s fingertips. The tech features include a full-digital, full-colour, 18-cm LCD screen with an easy-to-use jog dial for single glance access to various functions such as auxiliary flow adjustment and important maintenance functions. 

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An optional keyless start is available on the U48-5 and all new Kubota excavators, where the engine can be started with a four-digit code and holds up to 10 user passwords for easy start and anti-theft functionality. With this new technology, operators no longer need to worry about lost keys.

Operator comfort

A larger, redesigned cab with improved operator visibility is central to the U48-5, which comes equipped with a canopy or cab, and now incorporates greater head and foot space for added comfort that leads to more productivity on the job. The cab also features expanded front glass for more visibility and an overall slimmer frame for front window, skylight and left and right window increased visibility. It also lends itself to a more open side display for maintaining greater awareness of the operator’s total surroundings.

This newly designed cab was also engineered to reduce noise, registering at 74 decibels. Furthermore, the floor plate is thicker to reduce noise, and rear engine noise is reduced by a metal partition between the engine and the cab. 

Improved comfort features also include new optional air-ride suspension seat that is adjustable to easily slide back and forth to create even more added legroom when in the digging position. Standard LED working lights incorporate a shut-off delay to aid in exiting the machine at dusk or dark