How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete?

   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #241  
You can't swing a dead cat without hitting an "electric vehicles are the future!" thread. It's on the truck forums. It's on the Jeep forums. And now it's on the tractor forums too. I'm getting really sick of it.

Somebody call me when you "fill" an electric tractor in 90 seconds and run it in the field for 8 hours straight. I can do that with my diesel tractor right now, and it won't be possible with any electric tractor in our lifetimes.

Do you really think that after 150 years of ICE engines that nothing better has gone mainstream because people just haven't tried? Get outta' here....
hahahahaha ahhh. Sorry on all that.

Maybe think some 100 years back and folks were talking about Steam Tractors taking over from Horses. ;)

REALLY (really) interesting short read on that.


But towards your fill and go 8 hours challenge -- already there.

Cord (Grid-Tied) Connected can "fill" in Zero Seconds, and go 24 (or much more) hours straight.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #242  
When I was using 12 volt solar power I also; used a 12 volt wind turbine it was a 1500 watt and I got it from MO
wind & solar. You will see a lot of wind turbines on the net for around $800 or more for a 400 watt unit. MO wind & solar is about that price but the output is 2000 watts and these units really do put out that wattage. I
know I will never buy an electric tractor cost to power it
would be very expensive. I use power from the electric
company cost around $40 month. Hoping they will have better batteries soon for the home at a reasonable price as $1K for a battery don't cut it.

willy
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #243  
...
Somebody call me when you "fill" an electric tractor in 90 seconds and run it in the field for 8 hours straight. I can do that with my diesel tractor right now, and it won't be possible with any electric tractor in our lifetimes.
...

Buy a spare battery, slide out the old one, slide in the new one.

Takes 30 seconds for a 90 year old woman.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #244  
Buy a spare battery, slide out the old one, slide in the new one.

Takes 30 seconds for a 90 year old woman.
You're kidding right?
You might be able to do that with a battery powered drill.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #245  
You're kidding right?
You might be able to do that with a battery powered drill.
No, I'm not kidding, except about the 90 year old woman.

There will be battery exchange locations as ubiquitous as gas station are now.

No different than 10 minute oil change and lube places.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #246  
No, I'm not kidding, except about the 90 year old woman.

There will be battery exchange locations as ubiquitous as gas station are now.

No different than 10 minute oil change and lube places.
Yeah for a car perhaps. But are you really gonna trailer your tractor to any "ubiquitous" point just to replace a battery that you didn't get 6 hrs of work out of?
It certainly isn't going to be just the size of a car battery.
A Tesla battery weighs half a ton.
You'd need about 30 ninety year old women.
 
Last edited:
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #247  
This is the same debate people have every time a disruptive technology comes along, as if the new tech fundamentally violates everything they believe in and threatens their very existence. And maybe it does if you're married to the past and unwilling to change, but for those who can grow and adapt it should be very exciting times ahead.

When I was a young'un the idea of replacing the old push mower with battery power was laughable. Today I wouldn't dream of buying another gas powered push mower. Or drill. Or weed eater. Or hedge trimmer. Or polesaw. Or blower. Or chainsaw for that matter. That day is coming for tractors the same way it's coming for cars. Heck, there's already a variety of battery powered riding mowers and ZTRs you can buy today. No one is saying you have to go buy a full blown electric tractor today, but they are the future and the day of new diesel engines (and all new ICE engines) for consumers will be over within a generation. Not necessarily because people are forced to, but because they'll want to, because it will offer a far better experience. The industry is in it's infancy so there are many things you cannot do today, but tomorrow you will and personally I cannot wait.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #248  
...No one is saying you have to go buy a full blown electric tractor today, but they are the future and the day of new diesel engines (and all new ICE engines) for consumers will be over within a generation. Not necessarily because people are forced to, but because they'll want to, because it will offer a far better experience. The industry is in it's infancy so there are many things you cannot do today, but tomorrow you will and personally I cannot wait.
I don't see it, current (and near future) technology doesn't support an electric tractor or pickup being better than an ICE tractor or pickup that actually does typical, tough work. Maybe in 2 or 3 generations, but not in the next 30 years.
For example, look at PC's and TV's, they for a couple decades got so much better every year, but one today is not really significantly better than one from 1-2, even 3 years ago, the curve has flattened a lot.
Vehicle batteries are the same way, They have changed a lot in the last couple decades but now their improvement curve has flattened.
There needs to be some huge breakthrough in energy storage, these small improvements every 1-2 years will take decades before the accumulative improvements are enough to make them a better option than an ICE tractor or pickup.
 
   / How long before Compact Diesels are obsolete? #249  
Battery technology is one of those areas that doesn’t improve. The lead acid battery was invented in 1859, 162 years ago, and we still use them today.

Electric vehicles really only trade one inefficiency for another. Trade an inefficient combustion engine for an efficient electric motor, but trade an efficient energy- dense fuel source for an inefficient battery.

Batteries are 15 times less energy density than a tank of diesel, are much much larger and heavier, take forever to recharge, and eventually fail.

Build a better battery, then electric vehicles make sense. But given the very poor track record of improving batteries, I’m doubtful.
 
Last edited:
 
Top