John Deere has released a video of an all-electric concept tractor in the lead-up to the SIMA Agribusiness show in France, pointing the way toward a zero-local-emissions tractor product in the future.
In some ways, tractors seem like an ideal candidate for electrification. Electric motors are great for generating the kinds of huge torque figures tractors require, and tractors are generally fairly short range vehicles that live in the same shed every night, making for convenient recharging. They're also very low-maintenance in comparison with diesel gear.
That's the thinking behind John Deere's SESAM (Sustainable Energy Supply for Agricultural Machinery) tractor, a gutted out JD 6R with a huge battery bank up front and dual electric motors developing up to 130 kilowatts (174 horsepower) of continuous power.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 10 2016, @12:21PM
How about the third and most-obvious solution? Reduce the population.
If we don't do it voluntarily, then there will always be a large part of humanity that is suffering. Eventually disease, pestilence, and famine will keep our numbers in check if we don't.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 10 2016, @12:50PM
clearly the answer is carpet bombing poor countries.
if you kill everyone nobody will be left to complain.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 10 2016, @01:21PM
That's already happening.
And it's happening because we are already fighting over resources.
Because we already have too many people.
Checkmate.