On Tier 4 Final’s impact on skid steers, manufacturers’ response

Why did Tier 4 Final have so much impact on skid steers? Three reasons. First, emissions standards for machines less than 75 horsepower are different than the standards for those with 75 horsepower and above. Skid steer models fall on both sides of this rating. Second, skid steer customers are price sensitive, and Tier 4 Final machines cost significantly more than their predecessors. The cost of compliance (and resulting percent of increase in total machine cost) can vary significantly on either side of the 75-horsepower break. However, the difference is still substantial for any Tier 4 Final machine when compared with an earlier model of the same power rating. Third, skid steers have a small form factor, and Tier 4 Final compliance requires stuffing additional hardware into an already-crowded envelope. Customers complain about service access on skid steers as it is. How can you add more components, while also maintaining access and the small overall size that makes skid steers so versatile?