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In a move set to align with a new state mandate to transition to a zero-emission off-road equipment and vehicle fleet by 2035, the City of Berkeley, California becomes the first to take delivery of a a 70 hp Monarch MK-V electric tractor.

It’s been a rough week for fans of electric farm tractors, with news that California-based Solectrac has been evicted from their Sonoma County R&D facility and word that a number of ag equipment dealers have soured on the brand, stating that, “(the Solectrac) is a nice tractor but really about a 75 horsepower tractor is what people look at.”

It seems like someone at Monarch agreed, because their electric tractor is available with 70 all-electric hp and enough instant torque for the brand’s reps to be able to confidently claim that their horses are bigger than most. And, almost as if in direct response to the comments from dealers, they seem to have business and public sector customers ready to give them a shot — starting with the City of Berkeley.

“We (City of Berkeley) have been slowly but surely purchasing electrical equipment for our operations,” says Melissa Marizette-Green, Senior Landscape Gardener Supervisor, City of Berkeley Parks Division. “The MK-V is going to be the largest piece.”

It’s worth noting, too, that Marizette-Green chose the Monarch tractor intentionally, and not simply because it was electric. “We had seen another electric tractor here in California, but it didn’t meet our needs,” she explains, stopping just short of calling out Solectrac by name. “That tractor was not powerful enough to use the attachments that we use in our operations. The Monarch was everything we needed.”

The City of Berkeley was able to take advantage of California’s Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) incentive program, which enables customers to purchase the Monarch MK-V for a minimum of 65% off the retail price, effectively making its purchase price equal to a similar-sized diesel tractor while offering significantly reduced operating costs.

The Monarch MK-V is currently in production at the Foxconn-owned Lordstown factory in Ohio, with early deliveries reaching customers as I type this. The Monarch electric tractor offers a proven runtime of up to 14 hours, swappable li-ion battery technology, compatibility with a number of current, industry-standard implements, and a suite of autonomous tech.

Electrek’s Take

Melissa Marizette-Green, City of Berkeley Parks Division, takes delivery of a MK-V; via Monarch.

While this is good news for electric tractors and, I think, humanity and agriculture as-a-whole, it makes me a bit sad for Solectrac. I’m a huge fan of those guys, and have been a fan of their founder, Steve Heckeroth, since the days of US Electricar.

I was invited to moderate a fireside chat on the subject of electric tractors at last year’s Electrify Expo Industry Day event in Long Beach, CA with Monarch CEO, Praveen Penmetsa, and Steve Heckeroth that focused on agriculture’s role in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s titled “Field of Dreams: From the Farm to the Open Road, and Higher,” and you can watch it for yourself on YouTube, below.

Coinciding with the earliest days of the automobile, America’s farms and ranches saw new possibilities for tending to crops and land with tractors and other rugged vehicles. Today, data and automation that provide safety on our highways often come from work in rows of produce destined for the dinner table and travel far beyond our cities. Let’s visit with the pioneers of these new proving grounds and the launchpads of tomorrow.

PS: you’re wrong. The Stetson was a fantastic choice.

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Is this the interior of Tesla’s upcoming ‘Robotaxi’?

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Is this the interior of Tesla's upcoming 'Robotaxi'?

Tesla has released a new video that includes some footage of a previously unseen vehicle interior. Could it be an early concept of the interior of the Robotaxi?

For the last few years, Tesla has been working on a vehicle designed from the ground up to be a self-driving vehicles. The company has been referring to it as ‘Robotaxi’.

CEO Elon Musk insists that Tesla is still dedicated to delivering its promised self-driving capability to existing vehicles delivered since 2016 through software update, but it also decided to build a new vehicle designed entirely around the fact that it will be driverless.

Not much is known about the vehicle other than hints that it won’t have a steering wheel or pedals, and that it will be “Cybertruck-like” in terms of design.

Now, Tesla has released a new video, which Musk wanted to make clear he wasn’t involved in, to try to encourage shareholders to vote for his $55 billion compensation package and moving the company’s state of incorporation to Texas:

In the video, many pointed out a shot of the interior of a vehicle that doesn’t match anything Tesla has released to date:

The image shows what appears to be a two-seater vehicle without steering wheel and a center display similar to what is found in current Tesla vehicles.

The seats are unlike what you would find in modern vehicles and something closer to what you would find in public transit, like a train:

Tesla plans to unveil its ‘Robotaxi’ on August 8th. The automaker has recently accelerated its timeline for the vehicle and plans to bring it to market as soon as next year.

Do you think this is an early concept for the Tesla Robotaxi interior? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Mercedes-Benz just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s in Texas

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Mercedes-Benz just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s in Texas

Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s stores in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.

Three new Mercedes DC fast charging stations are at Buc-ee’s in Fort Worth, Temple, and Royse City. Mercedes asserts that every one of its chargers offers up to 400 kW of power.

It’s also adding 12 more charging stations at Buc-ee’s in the Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston metro areas – also known as the Texas Triangle, home to 68% of Texans:

Buc-ee’s isn’t your typical convenience store – they’re huge, with some stores covering over 50,000 square feet, and they offer a wide variety of items, including snacks, beverages, fresh food, clothing, home decor, and Texas-themed merchandise. It’s known for its homemade fudge, jerky, and beaver nuggets (caramel-coated corn puffs). Most Buc-ee’s locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In November 2023, Mercedes announced it had made an agreement with Buc-ee’s to build EV charging hubs at most of its existing stores. Mercedes is aiming to have around 30 online by the end of the year. There are currently 48 Buc-ee’s locations across the US South, 34 of which are in Texas.

When I spoke to Mercedes-Benz High Power Charging CEO Andrew Cornelia last year, he was passionate about the importance of placing EV chargers near amenities that travelers need.

Mercedes offers open access for all EV drivers, including roaming with other charging networks. Its charging hubs support contactless payments with credit cards or smartphone wallets.

The first Mercedes DC fast charging station came online last November at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Mercedes-Benz plans to deploy 2,500 high-powered chargers in 400 hubs by 2027.

Texas is the US’s No. 1 producer of clean energy and ranks fourth in public EV charging. However, to meet driver demand, the state needs around 95,000 more public chargers by 2027.

Read more: America, Mercedes-Benz wants you to indulge in retail therapy while you’re DC fast charging


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Polestar (PSNY) stock faces potential Nasdaq de-listing after failing to file its annual report

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Polestar (PSNY) stock faces potential Nasdaq de-listing after failing to file its annual report

Another EV stock may be removed from the Nasdaq exchange. After failing to file its annual report, Polestar (PSNY) received a notice from the Nasdaq as the company faces a possible de-listing.

Polestar, Volvo’s former high-performance unit, was established as an EV brand in 2017 under Geely’s control.

Since launching the Polestar 2, its first all-electric vehicle, the brand has expanded into 27 markets globally. The electric car has even become a top seller in several key markets like Norway, Sweden, and Germany.

However, like many EV startups, Polestar has hit its fair share of hurdles. After cutting guidance late last year (from 80K to 60K), Polestar still missed its target, delivering 54,600 vehicles last year.

In February, Volvo announced plans to sell 62.7% of its stake in Polestar as it looks toward its next growth stage. Volvo also confirmed it will “not provide further funding to Polestar” outside of its existing $1 billion outstanding convertible loan.

The news came after Polestar announced plans to cut 15% of its global workforce amid slowing EV sales earlier this year.

Polestar-de-listing
2024 Polestar 2 (Source: Polestar)

Polestar stock facing potential Nasdaq de-listing

After failing to file its annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, Polestar received a deficiency notice from the Nasdaq.

The notice states Polestar is not in compliance with its listing rules, which require the timely filing of periodic financial reports.

Polestar-4-price
Polestar 4 (Source: Polestar)

Polestar said the notice has no immediate impact on the company’s listing. However, under the Nasdaq listing rules, Polestar has 60 days to submit an action plan. If Nasdaq accepts it, Polestar could be issued an additional 180 days from the notice date, or until November 2024, to regain compliance.

The company has already received consent from lenders under its nearly $1 billion 3-year loan facility for the late filing. Polestar says it is fully committed to regaining compliance.

Polestar is working to file the annual report “as soon as practicable” and to report Q1 2024 earnings shortly after.

Polestar-de-listing
Polestar (PSNY) stock chart over the past 12 months (Source: TradingView)

Polestar stock was down over 13% on Monday following the potential de-listing notice. PSNY shares are now down over 50% this year, hitting their lowest prices since going public.

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