Abstract: A skid-steer vehicle has a housing defining a driver's compartment and a loader arm that permits the driver to enter and leave the vehicle through left and right side access openings. The arm is constructed to eliminate the hazardous condition of entering from the front of the vehicle or from a side where the loader arm crosses the access space. The housing includes first and second spaced apart support frames. Each support frame includes a forward and a rearward upwardly extending member joined at an upper portion by a connecting member. The forward, rearward and connecting members, define a side access opening to the driver's compartment. The loader arm has a rearward portion which is pivotally attached to the rearward members of the support frames and a forward portion and a middle portion connecting the forward and rearward portions such that when the loader arm is either in an up position or a down position, the loader arm does not extend into the access openings.

Abstract: An articulated battery-powered electric tractor includes front and rear frame members which are pivotally connected for movement about a substantially vertical axis. A hydraulically-actuated articulation apparatus pivots the front and rear frame members with respect to each other. Wheels support the frame members for travel over the ground. A power-take-off shaft is mounted to the front frame member and is used for driving implements. Electric energy is stored in batteries which are mounted to the rear frame member. The first electric motor is mounted to the rear frame member and is used to drive the tractor wheels. A second electric motor is mounted to the front frame member and is used to drive the power-take-off shaft and the hydraulic articulation apparatus.