Solis SV24 Electric tractor - Here is what we know so far...

[ArlyA]

They are both produced by ITL (International Tractors Limited)... Solis is in 150 countries, Summit is brand new... So similar yes, but equipped differently and going to market via different sales channels.

Everyone seems to think if a product comes out of factory B, they are all the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Lets say you operate a nice wood cabinet shop and your neighbor asked you to build him a coffee table for 200. OK, that's pretty low but maybe you can do that.

Then the local attorney's office needs a really nice one for there office and it needs to look good and we'll pay you 1500 for it. Are these really the same coffee table that both came out of your shop? I'd guess not..

 

[EddieWalker]

How long does the battery last? One of the issues with EV's is that the battery is on a constant decline for life of the vehicle, and then it's worthless because the battery is too expensive to replace.

How long can you operate the tractor with a bush hog in tall grass?

Does it have to stay connected to the charger all winter long, for months at a time, when not being used?

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

My guess is someone in marketing thought it would build attention for the brand to build an EV tractor. Good luck selling many at that price because it's about $5k above the price of a 48hp T474 around here. IMO, 3 hours of runtime means a lot of day light working hours will get lost waiting for a recharge. Not good if it can't make it back out of the field to recharge it.

Lol... you might just be on to something here. Being part of the discussion vs not. I tend to agree it will be a very small niche market if at all and that will likely be in California or Massachusetts or the peoples republic of Austin... haha Definite has a ways to go but I like that Solis has decided to be on the cutting edge of innovation... fail now and succeed in the longer term... possibly... Someone commented that they thought it would be perfect for their hobby farm... i suppose if its not your primary machine and its being used in around the barns maybe it is a good fit, but the price will need to come down over time.

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

How long does the battery last? One of the issues with EV's is that the battery is on a constant decline for life of the vehicle, and then it's worthless because the battery is too expensive to replace.

How long can you operate the tractor with a bush hog in tall grass?

Does it have to stay connected to the charger all winter long, for months at a time, when not being used?

Good questions... i'll share what I've been told but I may need to call in some Solis engineers to correct me;

Battery has a 10 year / 3500 charge cycle warranty... so how long does it last, I'm not sure... also asking what is the replacement cost, which one would expect to drop in price as technology advances over the 10 years. still a very important question to get answers to. I'll see what I can do

The bush hog in tall grass scenario is stated at 3 hours of constant heavy load, so mixed use could be longer, say 4-6 hours.

I do not believe it needs to be connected to a charger all year long, there is a battery disconnect button to keep it from discharging, but again, good questions, I'll see what I can find out and report back.

 

[ArlyA]

We have an elderly freind who weights 100lbs and purchased a gas lawn tractor just 2 years ago. She should have got a battery powered one...

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

Everyone seems to think if a product comes out of factory B, they are all the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Lets say you operate a nice wood cabinet shop and your neighbor asked you to build him a coffee table for 200. OK, that's pretty low but maybe you can do that.

Then the local attorney's office needs a really nice one for there office and it needs to look good and we'll pay you 1500 for it. Are these really the same coffee table that both came out of your shop? I'd guess not..

interesting analogies and I suppose if you say, hey in the off time the people that make Bose headphones make a direct duplicate knock-off and charge 1/2 price... But neither of these tractors are knockoffs... What you are actually describing here is a value sale... I've worked in the software industry for many years and list price is a funny thing, it is where the discounting begins. Everyone gets the same software but the price is set based on how much value it will create for you. One could argue that Summit, an American company, has done its research to understand what is most desired in a tractor and included it as standard in its offering... More bells and more whistles but the right ones for the market, which is new, and likely first time, tractor buyers.

I don't have any information that would support the production process of the platform tractor being any different, only the accessory and styling choices... it is possible a few specs have been changed but not to my knowledge. Just the same as TYM producing RK tractors... The tractor will be altered to fit the desirable price points or market audience.

To be clear here, I think both the Summit and Solis tractors are BOTH quality tractors and both come from ITL... As a buyer, do your research and pick the tractor that best fits your needs.

 

[newbury]

Why don't they make one (with good rechargeable batteries) so it's covered in solar cells (where the mud doesn't land) and is designed to be left sitting outside 24/7?

 

[Hardy Brothers Outdoors]

The people that will purchase these first generation electrics are not buying them for any reason other than it's electric...

I'd say that is pretty accurate...

 

[CH4Ohio]

I got to get into the nuts and bolts of the Solis SV24 fully electric tractor last week while I was at the Sunbelt Ag Expo 2023 in Moultrie, GA...

Here is what I know about the tractor at this time... also the estimated price is $31,800 with loader (subject to change at time of market launch)

Let me know what questions you have!
Josh

Ok -- I have two questions -- Why would anyone want one? What problem is this trying to solve?

The electricity is still coming from fossil fuels (natural gas, coal), nuclear, some hydro, and virtually no wind/solar.

It's pretty inefficient to transmit that electricity and then charge a battery repeatedly. If you drop all the lop-sided government subsidies, it costs more to "fuel" an electric tractor than a diesel tractor.

It will only run for a few hours and then needs to take a long rest while it's being charged. Diesel can run nonstop around the clock.

I can't carry fuel to it. If it quits, I can't pour a gallon of electricity into it to get it back to the barn.

It does nothing for carbon emissions. The energy to charge it is still produced at a power plant nearby. In fact, the net lifetime emissions is likely higher for this EV unit due to the manufacturing and mining required to build the batteries and other specialized components. No one has demonstrated a cradle-to-grave reduction in carbon emissions for EV units yet. The whole premise seems to be that you start "counting" AFTER they're produced and then fuel/charge them with FREE electricity.

We already have a power grid that's FAILING in many locations during extreme weather. Why would we want to add additional load that has more efficient fuel options? (Just wait till they start trying to charge EV semi-trucks, etc. )

Despite the fact that the government will likely steal some more of our tax dollars to offer obscene subsidies, the true actual cost is higher than diesel. If it costs more and doesn't solve any problem, what's the point?

(If you need to till a garden inside a warehouse where there's no ventilation and you can't use an internal combustion engine due to the exhaust, I guess this would be an option.)

The free market should drive innovation and product development. I just can't see how this makes engineering sense or economic sense.

 

[MTGreen]

I'd be interested to see what the realistic on time is under load at 80 degrees versus at 10 degrees and at year 1 versus year 5.

It would seem to me that at current battery technology levels, electric tractors have a place in the riding lawnmower segment and as a hybrid diesel generator/electric motor setup like a locomotive in large ag tractors