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Thumbs up at Nebraska Tractor Test

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Published: April 4, 2019

When Steve Heckeroth finished fine-tuning his first Solectrac eUtility and eFarmer prototypes, he loaded the pair on a trailer and hauled them 6,400 kilometres to the Nebraska Tractor Testing Lab.

The 40 horsepower eUtility was a conversion of an existing diesel tractor imported from India. Subsequent eUtility tractors are being shipped from India in their bare-bones form without engines and related ancillaries.

“The Solectrac tractors are zero emission and therefore are the harbingers of a potentially revolutionary change in agricultural tractor power,” Roger Hoy, professor and director at the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, said after supervising tests of the two Solectrac tractors.

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“Testing revealed that electric motor power could be successfully delivered through the power take-off with adequate power for the intended use. Overall, battery power was very impressive.

“However, for commercial viability, sufficient power to allow eight to 12 hours continuous operation is a need that can be met as battery technology continues to improve.

“Solectrac’s electric tractors showed a lot of potential for future farming applications. Solectrac represents the very future of agriculture, the start of an electric tractor revolution. You have my full support.”

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Ron Lyseng

Ron Lyseng

Western Producer

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