California-based Solectrac, has decided to make electric tractors as they are 5 times more efficient, 2000 times quieter and have 8 times less operating cost than diesel tractors of comparable size. They also have 10 times less maintenance cost and produce No Emissions.
These tractors will have only one moving part and so technically can last for 100 years, in contrast, a diesel engine has over 300 moving parts that require constant maintenance. Since these have fewer moving parts, so they are easier to repair and maintain.
Electric charging costs are 1/2 – 1/8 the cost of diesel fuel. These electric tractor can operator using solar power to generate electricity to charge them. They will have a ‘home charging’ option too and can be fully charged in just ‘3-6 hrs.’
They will be equipped with 30 kWh ‘Lithium-iron phosphate’ batteries onboard battery packs which will provide 5-8 hours of run time (depending on load) and will cost around $40,000.
The rear hitch accepts all Category 1- 540 PTO implements and the linear actuators provide 1,000 lbs. of dynamic load and 3,000 lbs. of static load
The prospective customers for these tractors are people who want to decrease their exposure to toxic diesel fumes and vapors plus they also care about the quality of life in the future and want to heal the earth.
The ideal customers for these electric tractors are farmers, vineyards, research labs, and horse arenas.
Reference- Cleantechnica, Solectrac website