Electric tractors could offer future sustainability

In the soft dirt of an indoor horseback riding ring last month, a group of farmers got ready to test-drive anewpiece of equipment: an electric tractor.

- By MICHAEL PHILLIS, MELINA WALLING AND JOSHUA A. BICKEL

MK BASHAR test-drives an electric tractor as Ben Phillips watches during a demonstration in Michigan.

(JOSHUA A. BICKEL Associated Press)

As they took turns climbing in — some surprised by its quick acceleration—they gave real-time feedback to the Michigan State University researchers who have been developing it for over two years.

The farmers remarked on the motor’s quiet whir. Most were intrigued, or at least open to the idea. Some were concerned that the battery on the underside of the carriage would mean a lower clearance over the field, while others worried that it would simply be too expensive.

“What we hope to do when we retire is we want to get everything electric on the farm. The tractor is the last electric implement to get,” said Don Dunklee, one of the farmers to provide feedback. Herunsasmallorganic vegetable farm that has relied on wind and solar for decades.

The market is fairly new, but some researchers and entrepreneurs think electric tractors will be ideal for small farmers who care about sustainability and want to market their products that way. The small cherry-red, open-cab machine is well-suited for tasks like weeding fields of specialty crops such as carrots or asparagus, or squeezing between the tight rows of orchard trees. Farmers with solar panels can avoid the cost of diesel.

Agriculture is among the largest sources of climate-warming emissions worldwide. Though tractors are a small culprit, experts believe an environmentally friendly machine would still attract buyers interested in sustainability.

“There’s reduced emissions, but before you get there, you have to be solving for other problems,” including noise, ease of use and cost, said Derek Muller, business manager for battery electric systems at John Deere.