Electric tractor

[Dutch445]

it looks like they do have a small one in India, a FarmTrac, but in this unit the drivetrain is
conventional with the electric motor powering thru mechanical drive system,,
i read that wheel drive motors will be coming that will eliminate mechanical and chassis restrictions
as this technology advances.


Introducing Escorts Farmtrac Compact Electric Tractor - YouTube

 

[buickanddeere]

it looks like they do have a small one in India, a FarmTrac, but in this unit the drivetrain is
conventional with the electric motor powering thru mechanical drive system,,
i read that wheel drive motors will be coming that will eliminate mechanical and chassis restrictions
as this technology advances.


Introducing Escorts Farmtrac Compact Electric Tractor - YouTube

There is not new electric motor tech. It is a matter of picking the design applicable for the task. A gearbox will still be required for 2,3 or 4 ranges .

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Elec-Trak - Wikipedia

My father was one of the electrical-mechanical engineers involved with the development of these tractors. Unfortunately, he, like most of the people who worked for GE on these, are all dead today.

 

[CincyFlyer]

There is not new electric motor tech. It is a matter of picking the design applicable for the task. A gearbox will still be required for 2,3 or 4 ranges .

Actually, if top speed is limited to ~22 mph, there may be no need for a gearbox with more than one range. Tesla originally had a two-speed on the Roadster, and shredded all of them. They used direct gearing for testing, and found that that was all that was needed, so the following models are also "one speed". Note that the system works well at stall, where it develops maximum torque and delivers the quickest accelerating sedan ever built, and also works at 155 mph. Such a tractor could be built with those parts today-with one motor for rear drive, one for front, and a PTO motor as well as a "tap" for electric implements, and no hydraulic system-if you'd pay $120K+ for it. I wouldn't, but I'd sure like to try one for a day.

 

[buickanddeere]

Actually, if top speed is limited to ~22 mph, there may be no need for a gearbox with more than one range. Tesla originally had a two-speed on the Roadster, and shredded all of them. They used direct gearing for testing, and found that that was all that was needed, so the following models are also "one speed". Note that the system works well at stall, where it develops maximum torque and delivers the quickest accelerating sedan ever built, and also works at 155 mph. Such a tractor could be built with those parts today-with one motor for rear drive, one for front, and a PTO motor as well as a "tap" for electric implements, and no hydraulic system-if you'd pay $120K+ for it. I wouldn't, but I'd sure like to try one for a day.

A tractor with a high traction load continuous at 2-5 mph ain't no light weight road vehicle accelerating up to 55mph and cruising. Similar reasons why hydrostatic tractors use several gear ranges for ideal operation.

 

[CincyFlyer]

A tractor with a high traction load continuous at 2-5 mph ain't no light weight road vehicle accelerating up to 55mph and cruising. Similar reasons why hydrostatic tractors use several gear ranges for ideal operation.

But your entire frame of reference is an internal combustion engine! Electric motors, especially 3-phase electric motors with the proper controllers, are much more versatile than a variable displacement pump on a hydrostatic drive.. A Tesla Model S weighs about 5K lbs., not a "light weight" by any means, and can accelerate that mass to sixty mph from a dead stop in under three seconds. And still go 155. So it has the grunt down low, does it not? Now gear it down 5:1, add some weight [perhaps more batteries!] to bring it to six or seven thousand pounds, a good mid-sized tractor, and you have serious pulling power, and still more speed than you'd want.
I'd buy that for $50K, maybe $60K.

 

[Dutch445]

i've been intrigued watching the tesla youtube videos of their cars on drag strips,
quite impressive!

 

[4570Man]

Frankly if you're building an electric tractor, there is no need for a transmission if you have the right motor controller. At worst, you might need a 2 or 3 range transmission, but no need to lose 20% of your battery charge pumping hydraulic fluid to drive the wheels.
Then you would want a closed center hydraulic system with an accumulator and a pressure switch (like on an electric pressure washer) to keep the hydraulic pressure up without running the motor all the time and a separate electric motor to run the PTO.
If you want to get fancy, you could put electric motors on your PTO powered equipment, but that could get spendy in a hurry.

Aaron Z

How much would that cost VS that swap. And, that swap was incredibly stupid IMO.

 

[mopardude318]

I'll stick with diesel, thank you.

 

[CincyFlyer]

I'll stick with diesel, thank you.

Yeah, probably in our lifetimes. Unless you are pretty young ...