Truck and tractor brand Terberg has developed the first fully electric yard tractor, the Terberg YT202-EV.
Developed by Terberg’s Netherlands team, the tractor takes
advantage of progress in Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery
technology.
The electric drive system is uncomplicated and therefore
relatively low cost compared to the alternative hybrid
diesel-electric system concept.
In addition, it requires little maintenance, is environmentally
friendly with zero emissions, and is quiet for applications
requiring low noise levels.
The Terberg YT202-EV can operate for a full shift of 8 to 16
hours after which it needs to be recharged for 1 to 1.5 hours.
The Li-ion battery has a life of around 3,500 to 5,000 charge
cycles, or about 5 to 7 years, which is longer than the standard
accounting write-off period for a yard tractor.
Terberg believes rising fuel costs will be the most persuasive
sales argument for operators, along with significantly lower
maintenance costs and the environmental factor.
The latter is becoming more important for planning authorities
as they consider Greenfield development projects.
On-site testing of the Terberg YT202-EV has been underway since
early 2012 with full scale production scheduled for later this
year.
The ‘conventional’ diesel Terberg tractor is available in a 4×2,
4×4 and 6×4 configuration with the option of a Euro 5 compliant
engine.
Terberg is sold and supported in Australia by Clark
Equipment.