GoSun built a practical electric tractor that charges itself with solar panels [video]

Electric farm tractors are a great idea that hasn’t quite found a way to succeed in the market, but Ohio-based GoSun thinks the time is right to try again – this time with integrated solar charging technology that could give its all-electric tractor a serious advantage over the diesel-powered competition.

Co-developed with Indian tractor brand Moonrider, the descriptively named Moonrider 27 All-Electric Solar Tractor from GoSun features a 20 kW (~27 hp) electric motor that sends torque to all four wheels for maximum traction and pulling power on any kind of terrain. A 540 rpm mechanical power take off (PTO) at the rear enables enables the tractor to run a whole lineup of farm-friendly implements, from mowers and tillers to post-hole diggers that might already be sitting in the barn – a huge market advantage.

“Small-scale farming and property management have relied on noisy, costly diesel utility vehicles for far too long,” said Patrick Sherwin, founder and CEO of GoSun. “With our new All-Electric Tractor, we are empowering farmers and land managers to literally work in the sunshine – reducing operational costs while protecting the soil and air.”

The really cool thing about GoSun’s new All-Electric Solar Tractor, though, is that word, “solar,” and that’s where the tractor gets really interesting.

Always look on the bright side of life

The GoSun’s 27 hp motor draws its electrons from a 24 kWh LFP battery pack, which the company says is good for up to five hours of continuous operation. That works out to more a full day of chorin’ on most hobby farms, and when it’s time to call it quits for the day, the tractor can be charged using either 220/240V AC “L2” connector or by parking to somewhere and letting its optional 1.1 kW solar array do its thing.

During buys parts of the year, GoSun says the solar array can provide about 1.5 hours of additional runtime on a sunny day – but if you’re not using it every day, or using it that much every day, you could conceivable go days, weeks, or even months without the need to plug it in.

Which, in fairness, means I could have put “never needs charging” up in the headline, but I know you guys don’t like that, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if I ignored the commenters. Speaking of commenters, give the company’s press video a watch, below, then let us know if you think this is going to be the all-electric tractor that (finally) cracks n ag into the North American market in a big way.

GoSun Moonrider 27

SOURCE | IMAGES: GOSUN.