GoSun built a practical electric tractor that charges itself with solar panels [video]

A company called GoSun, working with an Indian tractor maker called Moonrider, has built an all-electric tractor aimed at small farms and property owners who might otherwise run a diesel utility tractor. The Moonrider 27 has a 20 kW (about 27 horsepower) motor that powers all four wheels, plus a mechanical hookup at the back (called a PTO, or power take-off) that runs standard farm attachments like mowers, tillers, and post-hole diggers, so existing equipment doesn't need to be replaced.

Power comes from a 24 kWh battery good for up to five hours of continuous use, which the company says covers a full day of work on most hobby farms. You can recharge it by plugging into a 220/240V outlet (the same type used for things like an electric dryer), or by adding an optional 1.1 kW solar panel array that charges the tractor while it sits. GoSun says that solar array can add about 1.5 hours of extra runtime on a sunny day, and if the tractor isn't used daily, the solar charging alone might keep it topped off for long stretches without ever needing to be plugged in.

For homeowners with larger properties, hobby farms, or land that requires regular mowing and equipment work, this is another sign that electric alternatives to small diesel tractors are maturing, with the added appeal of never needing an outlet if solar charging keeps pace with use.