Solectrac
Solectrac, Inc.
IndustryAgricultural
Founded2012 (2012)
FounderStephen Heckeroth
HeadquartersSanta Rosa, California
Websitesolectrac.com

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.
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