John Deere unveils new farming equipment that could change the face of agriculture

John Deere is electrifying the farm with its new Electric Variable Transmission on its largest 8 and 9 series tractors, Electrek reports. On the road, electric vehicles are making a lot of headway and gaining more market share than ever, as the benefits of affordable, reliable, clean energy trickle into the public consciousness. But on farms, where rugged tractors are needed to do heavy-duty work, EVs with their reputation as lightweights are a harder sell. To overcome that barrier, John Deere has produced a piece of machinery that's anything but lightweight. Unlike battery-powered EVs, the EVT is driven by a diesel generator on the vehicle. But instead of powering the drivetrain directly, the generator produces electricity. That power can be delivered to the wheels, yes — but it can also be "off-boarded," and therein lies the beauty of this arrangement...more