HD Hyundai Construction Equipment announced on March 4 that it is hosting an "Operator Challenge" at CONEXPO 2026, North America's largest construction equipment exhibition, which opened on March 3 (local time) in Las Vegas. Daily top scorers will receive a $1,000 prize.
The three-day event at the HYUNDAI brand booth invites participants recruited on-site each day to compete in an operating skills contest. Contestants use the new HX19E mini electric excavator to place three balls into designated holes as quickly as possible. One winner is selected daily to receive the $1,000 prize. Demonstrations by well-known construction equipment influencers will also take place during the event.
HD Hyundai Construction Equipment aims to strengthen brand awareness in the North American market by allowing visitors to observe the mini electric excavator in operation and experience its performance firsthand through this challenge.
The HYUNDAI mini electric excavator HX19E deployed for the event can be equipped with a class-leading 40kWh battery, enabling operation for more than 10 hours. The company expects the model to penetrate advanced markets with tightening environmental regulations, as it delivers work performance comparable to conventional internal combustion engine equipment while producing zero noise and emissions.
According to Market Research Future, the U.S. compact electric construction equipment market is projected to grow from $9.16 billion last year to $41.64 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate of 16.3%.
"We will accelerate our push into the North American market with not only our mini electric excavators but also the next-generation models from HYUNDAI and DEVELON unveiled at this exhibition," an HD Hyundai Construction Equipment official said.
HD Hyundai Construction Equipment is operating separate HYUNDAI and DEVELON booths at CONEXPO 2026, its first global exhibition since launching as an integrated corporation in January. The company unveiled nine next-generation models ranging from 23 to 40 tons for the first time in North America. It is also demonstrating remote-controlled wheel loader operation and its unmanned autonomous solution "REAL-X."