Another tractor manufacturer out of business?

[Torvy]

I remember when people weren't swayed by trendy, unproven gadgetry and could see a scam when it came to separating them from their money. Also no one feared using a gallon of gasoline and "chicken little" the sky is falling nursery tale was just a kids story.

A friend and I mowed lawns (7th-9th grade). We usually brought our own, but one older lady insisted we use her Black and Decker corded one. (1970s.)

It was a PITA., but she paid well and we didn't have to buy gas.

The bigger issue for me is that the gas (mostly due to ethanol, I think) formulas today cause so many small engine problems. We used to just put gas and oil in them and they started right up.

 

[arrow]

I've tried to compare Battery Powered Vehicles to Cordless Tools because of how good Cordless Tools have become, but it's just not the same. Cordless Tools come in a variety of abilities, with some being very good, and some that are still too junky to use if you need them to make a living. Being that they are not regulated, or forced on you by the Government, they get better in order to stay in business and make a profit.

Battery Powered Vehicles do not rely on the consumer to provide a better product. Once Government gets involved, the only goal in making a Battery Powered Vehicle is doing what the Government demands of them. Get Government out of the equation, and then they will have to provide a better product, or they will disappear.

I consider gubmit like the slaughter fencing leading and directing cattle to their demise all while the legislators make a buck with corporate favoring bills that force you in the direction of the slaughter. Just like fencing.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The tractor they were selling was the cost of a 48hp diesel, but it had 12PTO HP. That is a tough sell. In that market people use them less than 50hrs per year. Fuel cost isn't a large cost. The real cost is in acquisition and loss of productivity. Resale will be crap now

 

[arrow]

The tractor they were selling was the cost of a 48hp diesel, but it had 12PTO HP. That is a tough sell. In that market people use them less than 50hrs per year. Fuel cost isn't a large cost. The real cost is in acquisition and loss of productivity. Resale will be crap now

To me, their biggest mistake was not to ascertain market dynamics. Or if they did, it was littered with innuendo as opposed to cold hard metrics.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I think when you listen in an echo chamber, you really do think you know what you are doing, when you really are out of touch

 

[5030]

Sounds to me like the 'Grant' money has run out!

Grant money is your tax dollars being wasted by government entities with zero fiscal responsibility.

It all distills down to... Easy come, easy go.

Politicians are real good at spending other folks money.

 

[5030]

Said before and will say again, the tractor market (and other markets as well), when there are too many players, the slices of pie as it relates to sales, gets thinner and thinner and when that happens, the marginal manufacturers cease to exist.

..and that is what is going to happen with EV's as well. Only the strong survive and the marginal ones fold. Once the Chinese invade the domestic EV market, you'll see many marginal ones cease to exist. BYD will sell very competitively priced EV's here and that will cause a reduction in builders because they won't be able to compete once the playing field is tilted. When your P&L statement gets lopsided, you fold. Plain and simple and BYD will cause that. Why the domestic EV makers are scaling back. They see the handwriting on the wall. That and the fact that a large percentage of buyers don't want an EV in the first place. Maybe a no plug in Hybrid but not a pure plug in EV ad that really has nothing to do with gummit subsidies either. Heck the government is already bankrupt so they keep on printing paper money and that drives the inflation spiral and I'm not gonna get into that on this forum anyway. All I know is, I'm fortunate I don't have a vehicle payment. Buying an new, extremely overpriced vehicle today is insane.

 

[CliffordK]

The tractor they were selling was the cost of a 48hp diesel, but it had 12PTO HP. That is a tough sell. In that market people use them less than 50hrs per year. Fuel cost isn't a large cost. The real cost is in acquisition and loss of productivity. Resale will be crap now

Greenworks is pushing hard into the zero-turn mower market. Their argument is that for commercial use the gas savings will pay for the mower. However that wouldn't be true for personal residential use.

 

[CliffordK]

My guess is that Solectrac did have a market, but looking at the reviews, it looks more like a home built tractor kludged together in someone's garage, and one can do better on the next one. Yet, trying to sell it for top dollar.

Not enough power for a mower or tiller? Really?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

12 PTO HP