Solectrac is an American tractor manufacturer based in Santa Rosa, California. It manufactures electric tractors for agricultural uses. The tractors are made as a zero-emission alternative to diesel tractors and can be charged by renewable energy, like wind and solar, and provide all the power of a comparable diesel tractor.[1]

History

The company was established in 2012 by Stephen Heckeroth. On the first Earth Day in 1970, Steve began his journey toward addressing the negative effects of burning fossil fuels.[2] Then in 1990, encouraged by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Zero Emissions Mandate, he turned his attention to transportation.[3] He then began designing and building various types of electric vehicles and in 1992 founded MendoMotive and Electrac.[4][5]

In 1995, he was commissioned to build an experimental electric tractor for Ford and New Holland.[6][7] The following year, Heckeroth was commissioned by a Japanese company (EFRIG) to build an electric tractor to be used in the critical processes of removing land mines left behind after wars.[8]

In 2012 he founded Solectrac LLC to take small farm electric tractors into commercial production. In 2013 Solectrac received a $500,000 grant from the Indian US Science and Technology Fund (IUSSTF) to develop four all-electric tractor prototypes.[9]

Ideanomics has a 100% stake in the company following an investment in 2020.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ DeVault, George; Higginson, Charles. "Electric Lawn Mowers and Electric Tractors". Mother Earth News.
  2. ^ Wilson, Winter (13 November 2020). "Electric Tractors Can Revolutionize Agriculture". CleanTechnica.
  3. ^ Buss, Dale (10 March 2021). "Solectrac Creates Place In The Sun For Electric Tractors". ChiefExecutive.net.
  4. ^ Chang, Brittany. "This $45,000 electric tractor joins a growing segment of eco-friendly work vehicles — see the "eUtility"". Business Insider.
  5. ^ "eUtility Electric Tractor is powered by a battery, not diesel". SAE International.
  6. ^ "Solar Tractors for Agriculture - electric tractor" (PDF). tractor9.com.
  7. ^ "Electric tractors hit Canadian fields with a whir". The Western Producer. 4 April 2019.
  8. ^ "The Case for the Electric Tractor". phy.tufts.edu.
  9. ^ "Santa Rosa electric tractor startup targets vineyard market". The North Bay Business Journal. 30 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Ideanomics continues their blockbuster growth reporting EV revenue growth of over 600% in FY2020". InvestorIntel. 2 April 2021.

External links