Buying electric

‘Range anxiety’, a term widely associated with driving an electric car when the driver fears the battery will run out of power before the destination or a suitable charging point is reached, is now applicable to the farming industry with the introduction of electric tractors. Here Reesink’s Steven Haynes provides all the reassurance needed to make the switch to electric.

‘Range’ is the word used to describe the total distance an electric vehicle can travel with its available battery power. Elevation, weather, terrain and, most importantly, driving speed all influence the range. And the anxiety it instils is so prevalent, the term ‘range anxiety’ has been added to Oxford English dictionary.

According to a study by the American Automobile Association, the cure to range anxiety is owning an electric vehicle – and we can attest the same rule applies to curing range anxiety in relation to owning a tractor.

Let’s consider and dispel some of the myths surrounding owning and using an electric tractor:

MYTH: Electric vehicle demand exceeds the electrical grid’s current capacity.

FACT: Switching to electric overnight would only increase demand by 10 percent, fitting comfortably within the grid’s capacity.

MYTH: Buying an electric tractor would mean expensive charging infrastructure.

FACT: There’s no need to make any changes; all models can be fast charged by plugging into any standard domestic household/shed/warehouse outlet.

MYTH: There’s a chance it could run out of battery power on the other side of the farm, miles away from the charging point.

FACT: The 72V battery pack fitted to the tractor has a maximum run time of around six hours and can be charged to full in eight hours which means almost a day’s work can be done on one charge.

MYTH: If the battery does go low, there’s nothing I can do.

FACT: The progressive switch settings and transmission speed dial of Farmtrac’s FT25G helps conserve energy. In addition, once the battery level gets to a set level there’s an alert saying it will soon require a recharge and providing enough range to get back to the shed.

This should alleviate any fears attached to range anxiety when it comes to owning an electric tractor, but if you need any more persuading look no further:

• The Farmtrac FT25G’s 18.5kW motor is powerful enough to outperform 25hp diesel equivalents in heavy workload and the progressive switch settings and transmission speed dial helps conserve energy.
• The FT25G also boasts a 450kg lift capacity and can be paired with a front loader, making it a versatile workhorse suitable for a range of tasks from lifting and towing to transporting.
• It further allows for a series of attachments to be fitted to its heavy-duty three-point linkage such as finishing mowers, flail mowers and rotary tillers as well as aerators and verticutters. Fertiliser spreaders, sand spreaders and top dressers can also be attached.
• The FT25G also comes with a robust warranty, supported by Reesink Agriculture, the award-winning UK distributor renowned and trusted for its servicing, maintenance and back-up.

Range anxiety in the car industry has been found to be the number one reason drivers are not making the change – it has been mentioned substantially more than high prices or any other factor in a study conducted by J.D. Power last year and it is suspected the same barriers to purchase exist for those considering an electric tractor too. We hope this article has gone some way to dispelling the myths so that the UK’s farmers can benefit from electric power. It is clean, green, economical and the future of our country’s farming industry.