The world’s first fully-electric, driver optional smart tractor has been unveiled by US machinery firm Monarch.
Monarch Tractor seeks to address industry issues such as labour shortages and climate change with automation and machine learning.
Intelligent tools are provided to the operator, so more predictive data can be collected to implement sustainable practices and boost profits.
The company, based in California, has already secured several hundred working farms as preliminary customers.
“Monarch Tractor is ushering in the digital transformation of farming with unprecedented intelligence, technology and safety features,” said Praveen Penmetsa, co-founder of Monarch Tractor.
“We have assembled a world-class team of farmers, engineers, and scientists to meet today’s farming demands."
The Monarch Tractor, which will cost farmers around £36,000, is 100 percent electric and has zero tailpipe emissions.
It also serves as a 3-in-1 electrification tool operating not only as a tractor, but with extra storage acts as an ATV.
The tractor can operate with or without a driver, utilising the latest autonomous technology to provide driver-assist and driver-optional operations.
It comes with safety features including roll and collision prevention, vision-based Power Take Off (PTO) safety and 360° cameras to keep operations running smoothly.
The Monarch Tractor also collects and analyses over 240GB of crop data every day it operates in the field.
It can work with farmers’ current implements as well as the next generation of smart implements.
Sensors and imaging are processed to provide critical data points that can be used for real-time implement adjustments as well as long term yield estimates, current growth stages and other plant/crop health metrics.
Utilising machine learning, Monarch Tractor is able to digest this data and provide long-term analysis of field health, improving accuracy the longer it runs.
The tractor’s electric drivetrain is capable of providing 40HP (30KW) of continuous power and short duration peak power up to 70HP (55KW) in a small footprint for multi-purpose usage.
The kit has received critical acclaim for its innovation. The company received '2020 Tractor of the Year' in the AgTech Breakthrough Awards, and was named one of World Ag Expo’s 'Top 10 Best New Products'.
Monarch Tractor has a starting price of $50,000 (£36,000), with shipping to commence in autumn 2021.
