New Tractor Company as if we didn't have enough

[Williy]

willy

 

[ning]

willy

TL;DnW:
40hp continuous (55-70hp short-term) can send full power to PTO, ~$50k price but this is going to increase ("due to demand" and probably also metal costs and cost overruns).
Battery life: 10+ hours, 4-5h to recharge.
No clutches or transmission would be a plus.
Production starts end of this year.
3ph lift 2200#
4wd optional.
Loader in development
Definitely aimed squarely at the vineyard & orchard IMO.

 

[5030]

Snowflake tractor.....lol

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

10 hr run time with a 5 hr recharge?

I'd say it isn't "ready" yet.

 

[PuffyC]

10 hr run time with a 5 hr recharge?

I'd say it isn't "ready" yet.

With a 2nd battery pack you could theoretically run nonstop forever, just like you can with regular battery powered tools. Not sure if this tractor has that but I recently read an article about Deere's electric strategy and that was their solution. If you can easily swap packs then recharge time becomes irrelevant.

 

[oosik]

"Easily swapped battery packs". I wonder - how much is a battery pack going to weigh on a tractor this size. I worked for a company that had electric fork lifts. Believe me - the batteries were VERY heavy - 2000#+ and were not easily swapped.

 

[hube2]

In a previous life I worked in a factory and drove a forklift. I can remember when they switched over to electric trucks. Every truck came with 2 batteries. They were actually quite easy to change but required a motorized hoist system supplied by with the fleet of trucks they bought, took me maybe 5 minutes to swap out.

 

[5030]

So, you have the 'electric tractor' out in the orchard or in a field and the battery is almost kaput, how do you 'exchange the battery in the field? Inquiring minds want to know? Maybe drive out with a petroleum fueled tractor with forks and do it?

Seems awfully counterproductive to me, not only in cost of ownership but in the cost of a second battery.

Cordless tools (I have quite a few) are much easier. The pack gets low, you grab a charged one off your bench and keep on. Don't work that way with an electric tractor.

I don't see them becoming 'mainstream' in my lifetime.

 

[5030]

In a previous life I worked in a factory and drove a forklift. I can remember when they switched over to electric trucks. Every truck came with 2 batteries. They were actually quite easy to change but required a motorized hoist system supplied by with the fleet of trucks they bought, took me maybe 5 minutes to swap out.

So did I. We plugged the hi-lo's in at night, every night. Never exchanged the batteries.

 

[PuffyC]

So, you have the 'electric tractor' out in the orchard or in a field and the battery is almost kaput, how do you 'exchange the battery in the field? Inquiring minds want to know? Maybe drive out with a petroleum fueled tractor with forks and do it?

Seems awfully counterproductive to me, not only in cost of ownership but in the cost of a second battery.

Cordless tools (I have quite a few) are much easier. The pack gets low, you grab a charged one off your bench and keep on. Don't work that way with an electric tractor.

I don't see them becoming 'mainstream' in my lifetime.

Probably the best solution is to pay attention to the gauge, heed the warning lights, and not run out, just like with all the other EVs. I've been running ICEs for 40 years and never managed to run myself out of gas a single time so that's probably a fringe case, and if it happens you'll just tow it back to the barn and learn to be smarter next time.