Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas brings its first wheeled excavators to North America, with deliveries starting late 2026

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas revealed its first wheeled excavators for the North American market at a dealer meeting in Georgia in early August 2026. The two models - the 18-metric-ton ZX180W-7 and the 22-metric-ton ZX220W-7 - are both powered by a 172-horsepower Isuzu diesel engine and are available for order now, with units expected to arrive later in 2026 or early 2027.

Two models, different boom configurations

The pair covers distinct applications through their boom designs:

• ZX180W-7 - 18 metric tons, two-piece boom for tight-space work and extended reach, front dozer blade and dual rear outriggers for stability, max road speed of 22 mph
• ZX220W-7 - 22 metric tons, mono boom for higher digging reach and force, outriggers front and rear, max road speed of 17 mph

The ZX180W-7's two-piece boom allows operators to work close to structures and then extend outward without repositioning the machine. The ZX220W-7's mono boom trades that flexibility for greater dig depth and breakout force, making it better suited to open-site utility trenching and infrastructure work.

Both machines carry the HIOS V hydraulic system, which Hitachi says increases front-attachment speed and reduces fuel consumption compared to earlier generations. Cruise control and Ride Control - a system that suppresses vibrations transmitted from the front attachment to the operator - are standard on both models.

Wheeled excavators and the North American gap

Wheeled excavators are common in European and Asian markets, where road-mobility between urban worksites reduces the need for low-loaders. Both the ZX180W-7 and ZX220W-7 have been available in international markets for several years before this North American introduction. The North American construction market has historically favoured tracked machines, but utility contractors and municipalities working across multiple sites in a single day stand to benefit from a machine that can self-propel between locations at highway-adjacent speeds.

The outrigger arrangements on both models are designed to address the stability trade-off inherent in pneumatic-tired excavators. The ZX180W-7 uses a front dozer blade and two rear outriggers; the heavier ZX220W-7 adds outriggers at both ends to handle the greater forces generated by its mono boom.

Rebranding adds a layer to watch

The dealer meeting in Georgia came as Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas was displaying the ZX180W-7 under Landcros branding - the name the company plans to adopt. The rebrand adds a commercial variable: dealers and rental fleets ordering now will receive machines that carry a brand name still unfamiliar to most North American buyers. How quickly Landcros builds recognition alongside the established Hitachi mark will shape early fleet adoption.

Delivery timing - late 2026 or early 2027 - means the first machines will reach North American customers during a period of elevated construction input costs. Whether rental companies or direct contractor buyers take the initial units has not been disclosed.