Monarch Tractor
Most of the ink spilled covering autonomous, electric vehicles is spent on passenger vehicles, but in reality, it's farm vehicles that are paving the path to the future.
A prime example is Monarch Tractor, the world’s first company dedicated exclusively to development of fully electric, driver optional, smart tractors. Monarch has this year deployed the first of its flagship tractors at Wente Vineyards near San Francisco, the oldest continuously operated winery in the US.
“We are thrilled to announce the ahead-of-schedule deployment of the first of several Monarch Tractors,” said Praveen Penmetsa, CEO of Monarch Tractor. “Our tractor has undergone strenuous real-world testing and is now ready to get to work and deliver on the promise of a more sustainable and efficient farming operation.”
Monarch was named Tractor of the Year by AgTech Breakthrough Awards, Big Innovation Award, and Top Ten Best New Product Award from the World Ag Expo, all in 2020.
The Monarch tractor features all electric power with zero tailpipe emissions, and can be run with a human driver or completely autonomously. It’s also very simple to maintain or repair, with only 10 per cent of the moving parts of a comparable diesel tractor.
“We’ve seen firsthand the benefits of the Monarch Tractor in our vineyards,” said Niki Wente, of Wente Vineyards. “Monarch Tractor represents the future of tractors and to be the first customer deployment is especially exciting as we kick off this new era of sustainable farming.”
After a successful trial at Wente, starting on April 22, the winery opted to go ahead with a full order of 15 tractors. Penmetsa hopes to begin full commercial production before the end of the year.