With the rising prices of fossil fuels in India, businesses other than private car owners are suffering drastically. Transport companies, agriculture and other companies depend on diesel. With rising prices, the input costs rise and this in turn increases the price of the end product.
A farmer in Gujarat found an innovative solution. He's built a tractor that runs on solar energy and electricity to contain rising fuel costs. The farmer used a local body shop and knowledge of electrical circuits to make this tractor in his home.
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The total cost of this tractor is Rs 1.75 lakh and it can pull a weight of up to 1 ton which is quite a lot. There is a solar panel on the roof of the tractor that is used to charge the tractor's batteries. If there is no sunlight or the charge is insufficient to operate the tractor, it is also possible to charge it via the domestic socket.
Big savings
According to the farmer's calculations, he can save around 1 lakh rupees per year that he spends on diesel. The idea of building such a tractor came to the young people's mind after the rising fuel costs. He thought that the relatively less demanding jobs didn't require a normal tractor.
Instead of buying a full-size tractor, he decided to build one at home. The body was made in a local body shop that makes agricultural implements. The person did the body structure and then the electrical work was done.
The plan is to add a disinfectant spray and a cart to the tractor so that it can still be used. Currently, the owner of this small electric tractor is using it to deliver milk, do small farm chores, feed the cattle, and so on. It ensures that the diesel-powered full-size tractor is not in use.
No technical details
Although we know the tractor is powered by electricity, the BBC video does not include any technical details about the size of the battery or how long it takes to fully charge. It should also be noted that fully charging a battery without a quick charge system can take a long time, especially with large capacity batteries.
Unfortunately, such homemade iterations are not legal for road use. Every vehicle must be certified for safety by ARAI and the relevant authorities before it is allowed to drive on the roads. So it sure is a long process to get permits, and it also requires a lot of capital.
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