I ordered a set (3 for a 66”pre-drilled bucket) of the bolt-on Edge Tamers with the poly pad kits. Absolutely love the bucket training wheels!!! Asphalt driveway and absolutely no marks or scrapes left behind!
For the 700 foot gravel driveway I pack the first snow after breaking through the drifts. Of course that base will then last the winter in Ontario, but it may not do that further south. Once the base is hard, I lower the blower a bit, and use the bucket much more easily when it is scraping over ice, rather than scooping gravel.
I have a set of edge tamers for 3025E. They worked great on my gravel driveway. I finally broke down and bought a hydraulic snow plow. That's way better than a bucket for serious snow.
I've been watching your videos way back when you was looking for your first tractor and i believe that you are the best person to give this a true honest review. Can't wait to see more.
Oh man, that new gravel on the driveway is a lesson I learned several years ago myself. My limestone was heavily broken down with lots of fines in it and needed another layer of fresh rock put on it. It got to be late fall and I started thinking that I really didn't want to go through another spring thaw with a driveway that turns into a mess again, so I put down new rock in November. Didn't get enough driving on it or a hard freeze before the first snow. That first couple snow clearings was a royal pain in the backside with my snowblower. Constantly feathering it to keep it above the loose rock, the awful noise of hearing gravel go through the blower... never again. Fresh rock in the spring for me from now on!
Edge Tamer (R2 MFG) is in my back yard, they are a very stand up company with great guys. Another small town manufacturer we should support. Add the hitch attach for even more versatility in moving trailers for even better snow removal.
With the front quick attach, you can always just set the bucket outside overnight where you can quickly and easily attach it after exiting the shop. That way the tractor is warm and the bucket is cold and snow won't stick to it. Yeah, -10 degrees, I'm not sure I am going out in that in my cab tractor......, never-mind in an open station!!! Even when you were out there shows commitment to your TTWT followers, to make us this video, so big thanks for bearing through the cold. (Love how much Bow seems to always want to be around what your doing and being cute on camera). Have a good one!!
It'll be interesting to see how linear the battery charge level indicator ("fuel gauge") is. Like some others mentioned, I too would like to see how well it functions when the batteries are at outside temperature to start with.
I would guess the battery performance is not very good. But I could be wrong. It would also be good to know what the battery lifespan is and how much to replace it.
@@goysb4jays566 LOL, people like you were the same ones crying from their horse's back when the first cars came along, whining the same way when electricity replaced gas lights, and moaning when antibiotics replaced leeches. You'll get left in the distant dust, just like they did.
Add a weather cab with a heater and see what happens. Or run a PTO blower. This unit is a toy. But things have to start somewhere. I won;t personally be a test subject for it but people with throw away money will.
Looking forward to this full series. I’m sure there will be plenty of instances where a Diesel will be better, but I could see this being an interesting option for municipalities to maintain parks and property around people, and home owners in suburbs where we are trying to be courteous with our neighbors.
@@tristenklein225 that is one way of looking at it. Morep people should look out of a window, walk outside for a while and spend a bit of time in the outdoors. They would then learn at the very least there has been a lot of hype and hysteria pushed to us about the environment.
I think this is the answer for a few that don’t have much work for it, it’s capable to a point. longevity, single charge use, time to fully charge etc just leave more questions than answers for what I do.
It is awesome that you are doing this review! I just discovered your channel, and I must say you are a natural on camera and cover a lot of important ground -- good stuff. I've had a Solectrac E25 on my hobby farm in western Wisconsin since January 2022. My understanding is that the E25 is built in an Escort tractor plant in India that used to be a Ford plant, so your notes on the similarities with the Ford tractors are spot on (I noticed right away, too, that a lot of the parts looked kinda familiar from my dad's 8N). That also explains why it's built with imperial units, not metric. I plowed in below-zero weather many times last winter and so far this winter with no battery charge loss, so like you, cold weather operation has not been a problem for me. My take on this is that, unlike cars, a tractor moves at such slow speeds that the battery stays warm and so it doesn't lose any charge. One thing about this tractor that is important, though, is that the battery needs to be above 32oF to charge it, so I keep it in a heated shop for charging -- like you do. After it's charged up, I've kept it in a cold shed with no trouble for the battery, but the hydraulics turn to molasses. My farmyard/driveway area takes about 1.5 hr to plow, and when I'm done, the battery is usually still above 80%, so usage in cold weather has been no trouble for me. It is so awesome that you are reviewing this tractor, and I've already learned a lot from your channel, so excited to see more. Keep rockin' . . .
So what I'm reading is that if you live anywhere that gets below 32F and don't have a heated building to store this tractor in, you are out of luck when it comes to recharging the batteries?
I’ve been told many times I didn’t know ChitfromChinola. I can finally refute that. How does the cold stored tractor act, hydraulically. Sluggish? Any warnings of operating temperature?
Yes, for this model, that’s a drawback. It seems like an easy engineering change for future models, say to put a warmer on the battery box, for example, sort of like plug-in heaters that are built into diesel or gas tractors that are stored in the cold. I was told that I could put a blanket heater on the battery, but I have a heated shop for my equipment, anyway, so that’s my solution. I have a Tesla car that charges no trouble all winter in a cold garage, so it’s something Solectrac can upgrade in future designs.
The tractor is impressive at this point, not disappointing. I agree it needs to be tested in those harsh conditions or it wouldn't be a justifiable purchase for someone in the north. Good video.
I recently bought a Kioti with the cab,,, heated and cooled. Sometimes when you live in an area with nasty winters,, and moving snow is a must regardless of how cold it is,,,, The Cab is a huge win. Buy once cry once.
Thanks for getting out of the warm to test a tractor for us to see . It's going to be interesting to see how it does. All the different things you do with it .hope you have a blessed day
Just a thanks to you Tim. I was looking for some form of "skids" for my bucket and took your suggestion for the Edge Tamers. I placed my order and 2 days later received an e-mail from Ryan at Edge Tamer - R-2 Manufacturing, informing me that they had a new version of Tamers (cast steel) and would I be O.K. with the new version? I was really impressed that R-2 took the time to up-date me on the new version and the order status, for what it's worth, AA+ to R-2! The Tamers work well on my gravel drive. As far as anyone criticizing the use of them? I won't be as polite; morons or never plowed a gravel driveway, go use a snow shovel!
You got lucky with the cold and snow, well at least the snow in this last storm. I didn't have any new snowfall, but the winds took the frozen crust of the old snow and closed roads with drifts I could almost walk on. With a plow and a snow blower, it took me about 75 minutes to clear my 2000 feet of road. The temperature was a little below zero and the winds were 20 to 30 mph. I thank the Lord for the heated cab I was in. I tried to film clearing the snow, but the suction cup camera mount wouldn't even stick to the inside glass at first.
I think during the winter the most crucial job I have to do with the tractor is typically putting out hay. So I am curious how the electric tractor deals with storage in non-climate controlled barns and still able to function for the work I will need it for in the cold. I am hoping these little electric tractors will be up to the job. Where I live we don't get that much snow. I guess occasionally it happens, but that isn't the norm where I live so I feel blessed by that fact.
Fun video! The forward reverse switch needs to be a big lever off the column like a power shuttle tractor. I can see that dainty switch failing early plus to me it's not real accessible. Loader hydraulics seem excruciatingly SLOW. We'll see how the market handles an electric tractor.
Love seeing the cats assist you in your videos. I spotted two in this one. Are there others, too? What are their names? Next, does the steering wheel self-center, or is it just like the one on the 1025R?
For a first generation product from Soletrac, I think it's doing a stand up job so far. Can't wait to see what they do with second and third generation of their products.
For starters I have to say that Solectrac did their homework on the subcompact model. The 3pt and drawbar setup is impressive. This was a good test for it in the bitter cold. It didn't get that cold here in PA, but the wind chill makes it worse.
Tim - I'm not sure about battery powered sub-compact, compact, or utility tractors being ready for prime time. However, there is something you and I can agree upon, Edge Tamers. I purchased two of them back when you first showed them on your channel. I decided to purchase one for the middle of my bucket. As soon as I finished watching your video, I put my order in for number three. Ryan contacted me to say the Edge Tamers are on back order and are expected to arrive early January. I replied to his email and told him no big deal. I told him what a good ambassador for his product and company. He really appreciates your representation.
I think of your channel everytime I use the Edge Tamers, love them as does my gravel driveway! And when you ran over the camera, lol, glad it kept on filming - that should force the crew to get back to work. Toss a snowblower on that pto and see how long the battery runs that ;-) The quietness of plowing snow with an electric tractor IS cool though!
It’ll be interesting to see if solectrac will watch this video and decide to offer a winterization kit for colder climates. Speaking of temperature did the manual say anything about a high temperature limit. So far it seems like it would be good to use in the south but if it can only go up to 100 degrees or so then they’d be very limited on where and when someone could use it.
Thanks for pointing out the patent issue with Edge Tamers. I have a set of the real Edge Tamers, and really like them for the occasional gravel driveways and mulch work. Even after whatever switch you operated, the loader speed would be a non starter for me. That's more than just an inconvenience.
It will be neat to see all the testing and see how it performs. Can't wait to see it pull the TS12 the tuffline disc and the big rhino rear blade 😂. Honestly tho I am curious how it would do brush hogging or rototilling. I personally have no interest in buying any electric vehicles but I'll enjoy watching you test it.
@@johnwudarcki9315 You make a valid point. I think it's more 'real world' to think most folks don't have a heated garage to store a tractor. And if they did, I think the family vehicle would have priority for that spot inside. I have 2 barns on our rural property and no heated area in either. I currently have a 48hp gas tractor, and a 29hp diesel tractor. They get equal use in summer while bush hogging, cutting, raking & baling hay. The diesel gets a little more use in our Upstate New York winters with plowing snow because it is 4x4 and has the front loader. These battery operated vehicles (like my golf cart) are a nice thing, until you have to replace the special batteries... and they need to be monitored and properly maintained in cold weather!
Tim, don't blame you, wind is nasty. Had guard duty in the Army in Korea, it was 52 below, but no wind, just had 8 below and 20mph wind. I almost swore I forgot my clothes, goes right through you. Anxious to see amount of running time.
Thanks for braving the weather for the video. Was surprised it only used 5% of battery. Had to laugh at the camera incident, been there, done that, a few times, so far have not badly damaged a camera yet. Stay warm!
It was brutal out there Tim. Even your camera mount gave up. lol Thankfully we have a warm up coming. I’m still not a big fan of an electric tractor. I like the sound of a diesel tractor. But it’s definitely interesting and will be watching to see your option on the machine. Thanks for sharing.
I loved the training wheels for your bucket comment. i got 3 Edge Tamers some years ago based on an episode you did using them. The only problem i ever had with them is that I lost a bolt and couldn't find a replacement at Ace, True Value nor Tractor Supply. I wrote the folks at edge tamers and they sent me a couple of replacement bolts....free. Can't say enough about service after the sale. I totally recommend them. looking forward to more episodes. Just something "unnatural" about an electric tractor.....lol.
This tech could usher in a new generation of farmer/heavy equipment worker who doesn't suffer from hearing loss...and you can hear if someone is yelling at you. There's a lot to be said about how quiet this is.
Why do you need expensive and less useful "technology" to fight hearing loss? I mean are the $0.50 a pair of ear plugs too expensive or something? Not sure I would blame the tractor for operator error
Again this is false . I am older and do suffer from premature hearing loss related to farming ... But ... In 2023 we have tractors that are quieter than regular cars ... All our newer models have insonorisation that allows for quiet music listening ... Look up the Millenial farmer or Laura farms and their clips from the seat ! In situ . Electric is a dead end for commercial trucks, tractors and any heavy equipment ... No future with present day energy storage technology . Down time is too important and cost of batteries is just astronomical .
Yes Mr Tim ... We do have 3 trucks for fresh produce deliveries ... 7/7 days a week ... 24/24 hrs ... Just change the operator and trucks and tractors work around the clock ... Any operation trying to make ends meet next to our farm ... Using electric ... Will go belly up in months .
Interesting to see how well the battery last with a snow blower or other PTO attachments ….also longer use in general! I’m not a big EV fan but electric has its place when it’s built right! I’m sure it’ll have its drawbacks also but for the average home owner using it with “normal” jobs around the house this might be the ticket!
@@markcole6475 I've seen the stats on the EV mini excavators they run 2 hours and then need a 8 hour charge. So you need to buy 12 EV Tractors to work a full 8 hour day.
@@shoutingatclouds1050 - Nailed ... This is why I trashed these tractors . They are a dead end for people who work and need to be competitive ... Maybe in a Communist nation of Green totalitarism ... Not even then as the elites would still ride the Oil train and planes . Prob is on our farm we use 11 JDs of various sizes ... Ranging from 75 Hp to 175 hp ... I know we are a small family farm producing veggies for the fresh market 225acres . We are small but labor intensive and those tractors work in Spring around the clock ... I do mean on occasion 4 days ... 24hrs in a row . Cost of having to buy electric packs 3 per tractors or even 5 for some ... Would be a nightmare to just handle and keep track of . Imagine ... 40 or 50 power packs at various stages of charging and readiness !!! No way . JD has a clip on a 6155r ( we have the diesel version of that one ) ... It is a superb piece of uselessness . It would not pull 24hrs of work even if we had 5 power packs ... Time down to charge would drive our cost through the roof . I am not even addressing the cost of those power packs . Anyway ... Have a good 2023 and ... Happiness all around . Enjoy the little toy tractors ... But do not imagine farmers could "do their share" to be more green ... Just by wishing we farm with this ridiculous technology . It is simply NOT ready and will not be in a distant ... Yes distant ... Future . Later Guys . Peace out .
@@shoutingatclouds1050 - Just imagine we are going to farm a lot 15 miles away from our base garage ... What ... WE would have to carry on wagons 5 packs of batteries for EACH tractors ... ???? We would need to have the Kwh available on the premise fully ready and hope everything goes good . Imagine the cost of that operation itself ... 3 tractors on the raod 15 miles away 15 power packs of 1000kwh batteries on the ready ... What would that cost to buy/maintain/and keep track of ... All of these systems would be worked in different ways and evolved at different rates of decay ... Nightmare . Electric technology in the state of science today is a ... DEAD END for trucks/buses/farming name it all commercial endeavours ... Oh I hear people saying but ... School boards have electric buses ... Yeah ... They are COMMUNISTS . They are hypocrites and rely on a fleet of diesel for back ups ... We can't afford to pull this financial stunt . We have to be competitive . Politicians are after people's freedoms and the winds of rectitude are blowing even in agriculture and this will spell ... Hunger eventually . The worst is to come . I tell you that . Later good people .
I love my edge tamers. I leave them on until the gravel is well and truly frozen, then I take them off to make back dragging away from buildings and such easier. I used to leave them on full time when I was clearing a path to my barn with the bucket. Worked beautifully! I finally bought a walk behind snowblower to remove my shoveling needs elsewhere, and it took over that barn path role. I bought mine from R2, and damn Vevor for ripping them off.
@@brettmason1942 you mean climate change? The curtain was pulled back on that so the updated word salad is climate change to ensure there’s always an escape plan once the new crisis timeframe passes yet again
This "New-fangled " SO-LETRATOR is a real Humdinger. It has powerfully, and "Smove-ly" moved those few "Ounces" of snow.( not a realy good test for it).That "rig" just needs an electric seat fer cold weather Adventures. That was a "sad" -" ramming-speed camera mishap " --- the Rescue was flawless.Any day on a Tractor is a good day.Best wishes with all your endeavours.
I've been using the Solectrac e25 with a 66 inch HLA Snow pusher in Wisconsin, and it is workin well. Been able to do my long drive a number of charges on a single charge.
didnt get that much snow here in n c oklahoma did get down to -7 and -28 deg wind chill tho. think like the electric pu's is going to take a little time and learning to get them all figured out and bugs worked out. look at how long we have been driving gas and diesel engine vehicles lot of tech to catch up with!!! will be watching this series
I'm impressed that it seemed to run fine in the cold. Honestly it's either I'm just too old fashioned (I still use a flip phone) or it's you getting used to the functions but it just seems toyish to me. I'll stick with you though. Happy 2023.
My EV in Montana drops to 2.0 miles per kWh in the winter. In the summer I get as high as 5.0 miles per kWh. It's a big difference operating battery equipment in the cold under 40F. Today it was -8F.
Sorry Tim, I would have lasted about 5 minutes in the cold before I changed to a real tractor that will get the work done. Even with the hydraulic control sped up it still seemed very slow to me. I do like the "edge tamers" and will probably order a set for our loader bucket.
Happy New Year Tim, it will be interesting to see how the electric lasts. I look forward to more testing. Head to head with a diesel would be interesting to see as well. -Mark🌴
@@Hogger280 - what's the criteria? Electric = more torque and at lower rpms, essentially zero maintenance, quieter, etc. That's far from a "hands down" decision. Keep in mind this is a compact tractor, not meant for 24/7 planting/harvesting. Remember, your diesel has a battery, too.
40 year farmer here but i will say buckets on a loader are the worst for snow removal if it is a quick attach bucket try the horst quick attach blade made right here in Canada awesome loader blade and they have the hyd angel option
What I’ve found with my Kubota 3350 is to run the engine at higher rev’s until the hydraulic fluid gets hot, then it functions normally. We went through the cold and very windy weather….I’ve plowed in below freezing and windy weather it’s no joke and requires wisdom!!
Looks like you have a few inches of powdery snow there. Please run the plow in heavy wet snow if you have a chance and let us know how long it runs without a charge. 👍
As he tests from home, I'm guessing he'll test with whatever mother nature dumps in his yard. It's not like he's got -10 degree snow down the driveway and 34 degree snow in front of the garage. But, yes, light powdery snow is easy while wet heavy is a challenge, but don't forget the light powdery drifts can set like concrete.
@@aaronsbarker -- Hmm, do you work for the plow manufacturer? This isn't my first rodeo. I know how snow drifts work and there were no substantial drifts noted in the video at all.
@@soaringeagle4718 nearly all he had was drifts, everything else was blown off. No, they weren't "substantial", but it's what he had. You want Tim to trailer the tractor to Buffalo to see how it works up there? He tests with what he's got and if you can't understand that.... maybe your rodeos aren't what you think they are.
@@aaronsbarker Aaron, it's the holiday season and I'm not here to argue. Relative to testinng I wrote "if you have a chance" in my original post. Please read it again if you must. Before investing in expensive equipment I'd like to know how it performs under different conditions. I've seen some videos on electric skid steers that only operate 2-3 hours before requiring a charge. That means I need two or three skid steers sitting idle at a job sites for a productive work day. Totally open-minded here.
Couple honest observations... 1.) The seating area looks cramped for cheeseburger aficionados like myself. 2.) The hydraulics still look annoyingly slow even after you fixed that setting. 3.) You gave the electrics the best possible situation with keeping it in a heated garage before use. Much of the capacity of chemical batteries are lost when they are cold and so manufactures will have thermostatically controlled heaters in them for outdoor storage (much like diesel engine block heaters)...but it only works when they are plugged in. A worst case scenario would be to have it fully charged, but unplugged outside for a day or two to get a good cold soak and then try it again. I think electric has a place, but I don't think it's a panacea. I'm looking forward to your testing!
Well I hope there’s a low power alarm so you can get back to the charger in time. If not, gonna be in big trouble if you didn’t have another tractor to pull it back to the charger. Stay warm ! Blessings to you in the coming new year !🙏
That reminds me of when I ran over my iPhone 6s+ with the rear tire of a tractor, with ballast. The phone was totally shattered and was bent, but still worked. I used it for a couple more months before it finally bit the dust.
This was an excellent video which as always show real world conditions and experiences. Things happen like breaking the camera. You need your team member Christy.
I'm surprised they didn't send out a factory training rep to show you all about this tractor Tim. Was that an option? Even with the loader controls in the faster speed, it still seems slower than my Kubota (on video at least).
With your excellent camera crew, you don't need this, but there are tracking cameras on the market. I have owned two Soloshot models and now am using a Pixio. Soloshot uses GPS tracking, Pixio uses 3 sensors you put around the work site. I use them for my equestrian training, so no one has to take the time to stand there with a video camera watching me practice for an hour. And the horse hasn't stepped on a camera so far !
As always great video Tim! I have to applaud your dedication, with using that open station electric tractor over your nice, heated cab 3 series out in that bitter cold had to be a tough call to make. I know I would have made a different choice. lol
I ordered a set (3 for a 66”pre-drilled bucket) of the bolt-on Edge Tamers with the poly pad kits. Absolutely love the bucket training wheels!!! Asphalt driveway and absolutely no marks or scrapes left behind!
Training wheels? So what!!! If it makes it easier to work then all the better! Purists are funny sometimes!!!
Thoroughly enjoying this series Tim (and Christie) and appreciate the "adgenda-free" presentation.
For the 700 foot gravel driveway I pack the first snow after breaking through the drifts. Of course that base will then last the winter in Ontario, but it may not do that further south. Once the base is hard, I lower the blower a bit, and use the bucket much more easily when it is scraping over ice, rather than scooping gravel.
That's what I do in NW Minnesota as well. No fun picking gravel out of the lawn in the spring
Thanks for putting up with cold and wind Tim. So far the Solectrac seems to perform quite well. Look forward to more testing
I have a set of edge tamers for 3025E. They worked great on my gravel driveway. I finally broke down and bought a hydraulic snow plow. That's way better than a bucket for serious snow.
I've been watching your videos way back when you was looking for your first tractor and i believe that you are the best person to give this a true honest review. Can't wait to see more.
Oh man, that new gravel on the driveway is a lesson I learned several years ago myself. My limestone was heavily broken down with lots of fines in it and needed another layer of fresh rock put on it. It got to be late fall and I started thinking that I really didn't want to go through another spring thaw with a driveway that turns into a mess again, so I put down new rock in November. Didn't get enough driving on it or a hard freeze before the first snow. That first couple snow clearings was a royal pain in the backside with my snowblower. Constantly feathering it to keep it above the loose rock, the awful noise of hearing gravel go through the blower... never again. Fresh rock in the spring for me from now on!
You need to have Christy run the drone from the house so the camera crew stays happy, but you don’t have to operate the camera yourself.
thats a smart idea
This is a great idea!!
Lol but inside all comfy and drinking some hot chocolate I don’t think the camera crew will want to work! Hence the strike! 😂
Edge Tamer (R2 MFG) is in my back yard, they are a very stand up company with great guys. Another small town manufacturer we should support. Add the hitch attach for even more versatility in moving trailers for even better snow removal.
Having a heat wave!!! My ranch in Montana was -55 F!!! I did not even go out side. We now have Temps in the 40's. Thanks for the videos!!!
I like that tractor especially it being as quiet as it is. I would love to see its capabilities. I would have to build a heated garage for it though.
With the front quick attach, you can always just set the bucket outside overnight where you can quickly and easily attach it after exiting the shop. That way the tractor is warm and the bucket is cold and snow won't stick to it. Yeah, -10 degrees, I'm not sure I am going out in that in my cab tractor......, never-mind in an open station!!! Even when you were out there shows commitment to your TTWT followers, to make us this video, so big thanks for bearing through the cold. (Love how much Bow seems to always want to be around what your doing and being cute on camera). Have a good one!!
It'll be interesting to see how linear the battery charge level indicator ("fuel gauge") is. Like some others mentioned, I too would like to see how well it functions when the batteries are at outside temperature to start with.
I would guess the battery performance is not very good. But I could be wrong. It would also be good to know what the battery lifespan is and how much to replace it.
They won't function well if they are like everything else that is battery powered
@@goysb4jays566 LOL, people like you were the same ones crying from their horse's back when the first cars came along, whining the same way when electricity replaced gas lights, and moaning when antibiotics replaced leeches. You'll get left in the distant dust, just like they did.
Add a weather cab with a heater and see what happens. Or run a PTO blower. This unit is a toy.
But things have to start somewhere. I won;t personally be a test subject for it but people with throw away money will.
Looking forward to this full series. I’m sure there will be plenty of instances where a Diesel will be better, but I could see this being an interesting option for municipalities to maintain parks and property around people, and home owners in suburbs where we are trying to be courteous with our neighbors.
There will be plenty of government and corporate customers for electric tractors. They will buy them to meet the E of their ESG requirements.
I look at these from another perspective, some people have noise restrictions. Companies with these tractors will pick up business from having them.
Naw, give me a Detroit Diesel with straight stacks !
@@tristenklein225 that is one way of looking at it. Morep people should look out of a window, walk outside for a while and spend a bit of time in the outdoors.
They would then learn at the very least there has been a lot of hype and hysteria pushed to us about the environment.
A diesel tractor is better in EVERY way…so you have a tractor?
Kitty taken over the job.It's nice to see kitty cats again.
It LOOKS like a very pleasant day with all that blue sky. Looking forward to more reviews of the Solectrac
Clouds actually help make it warmer. A day like this one, it's a crisp cold.
I think this is the answer for a few that don’t have much work for it, it’s capable to a point. longevity, single charge use, time to fully charge etc just leave more questions than answers for what I do.
Despite the nasty comments, this is what needs to be done! Keep on the good work!
The first video of your I watched was when you first got the Edge Tamers. You loved them then. I'm glad to see that you still use, and recommend them.
It is awesome that you are doing this review! I just discovered your channel, and I must say you are a natural on camera and cover a lot of important ground -- good stuff.
I've had a Solectrac E25 on my hobby farm in western Wisconsin since January 2022. My understanding is that the E25 is built in an Escort tractor plant in India that used to be a Ford plant, so your notes on the similarities with the Ford tractors are spot on (I noticed right away, too, that a lot of the parts looked kinda familiar from my dad's 8N). That also explains why it's built with imperial units, not metric.
I plowed in below-zero weather many times last winter and so far this winter with no battery charge loss, so like you, cold weather operation has not been a problem for me. My take on this is that, unlike cars, a tractor moves at such slow speeds that the battery stays warm and so it doesn't lose any charge. One thing about this tractor that is important, though, is that the battery needs to be above 32oF to charge it, so I keep it in a heated shop for charging -- like you do. After it's charged up, I've kept it in a cold shed with no trouble for the battery, but the hydraulics turn to molasses. My farmyard/driveway area takes about 1.5 hr to plow, and when I'm done, the battery is usually still above 80%, so usage in cold weather has been no trouble for me.
It is so awesome that you are reviewing this tractor, and I've already learned a lot from your channel, so excited to see more. Keep rockin' . . .
So what I'm reading is that if you live anywhere that gets below 32F and don't have a heated building to store this tractor in, you are out of luck when it comes to recharging the batteries?
Joe, I think that is the point. No big deal…just get a different tractor if you don’t have a warm place to charge it.
Thanks for the informative comment!
I’ve been told many times I didn’t know ChitfromChinola. I can finally refute that. How does the cold stored tractor act, hydraulically. Sluggish? Any warnings of operating temperature?
Yes, for this model, that’s a drawback. It seems like an easy engineering change for future models, say to put a warmer on the battery box, for example, sort of like plug-in heaters that are built into diesel or gas tractors that are stored in the cold. I was told that I could put a blanket heater on the battery, but I have a heated shop for my equipment, anyway, so that’s my solution. I have a Tesla car that charges no trouble all winter in a cold garage, so it’s something Solectrac can upgrade in future designs.
The tractor is impressive at this point, not disappointing. I agree it needs to be tested in those harsh conditions or it wouldn't be a justifiable purchase for someone in the north. Good video.
I'm an old man I'll stick to gas tractors till the day I die thank you very much and I can work on them myself
I recently bought a Kioti with the cab,,, heated and cooled.
Sometimes when you live in an area with nasty winters,, and moving snow is a must regardless of how cold it is,,,,
The Cab is a huge win. Buy once cry once.
Thanks for getting out of the warm to test a tractor for us to see . It's going to be interesting to see how it does. All the different things you do with it .hope you have a blessed day
Just a thanks to you Tim. I was looking for some form of "skids" for my bucket and took your suggestion for the Edge Tamers. I placed my order and 2 days later received an e-mail from Ryan at Edge Tamer - R-2 Manufacturing, informing me that they had a new version of Tamers (cast steel) and would I be O.K. with the new version? I was really impressed that R-2 took the time to up-date me on the new version and the order status, for what it's worth, AA+ to R-2! The Tamers work well on my gravel drive. As far as anyone criticizing the use of them? I won't be as polite; morons or never plowed a gravel driveway, go use a snow shovel!
Another great video Tim! and even from Minnesota, I can say weather like that is cold! Great real life application video!
You got lucky with the cold and snow, well at least the snow in this last storm. I didn't have any new snowfall, but the winds took the frozen crust of the old snow and closed roads with drifts I could almost walk on. With a plow and a snow blower, it took me about 75 minutes to clear my 2000 feet of road. The temperature was a little below zero and the winds were 20 to 30 mph. I thank the Lord for the heated cab I was in. I tried to film clearing the snow, but the suction cup camera mount wouldn't even stick to the inside glass at first.
I think during the winter the most crucial job I have to do with the tractor is typically putting out hay. So I am curious how the electric tractor deals with storage in non-climate controlled barns and still able to function for the work I will need it for in the cold. I am hoping these little electric tractors will be up to the job. Where I live we don't get that much snow. I guess occasionally it happens, but that isn't the norm where I live so I feel blessed by that fact.
Fun video! The forward reverse switch needs to be a big lever off the column like a power shuttle tractor. I can see that dainty switch failing early plus to me it's not real accessible. Loader hydraulics seem excruciatingly SLOW. We'll see how the market handles an electric tractor.
The loader speeds are slow, and slower when it cold. This is something I am looking to see if I can update on my e25.
Love seeing the cats assist you in your videos. I spotted two in this one. Are there others, too? What are their names? Next, does the steering wheel self-center, or is it just like the one on the 1025R?
Looks like a good home owners toy
I love the edge tamers...with my rear snoblower and these on my front bucket...the best snow machine ever.
For a first generation product from Soletrac, I think it's doing a stand up job so far. Can't wait to see what they do with second and third generation of their products.
Love my Original Edge tamers... for leaf pick up too, TY TIM!
For starters I have to say that Solectrac did their homework on the subcompact model. The 3pt and drawbar setup is impressive. This was a good test for it in the bitter cold. It didn't get that cold here in PA, but the wind chill makes it worse.
Tim - I'm not sure about battery powered sub-compact, compact, or utility tractors being ready for prime time. However, there is something you and I can agree upon, Edge Tamers. I purchased two of them back when you first showed them on your channel. I decided to purchase one for the middle of my bucket. As soon as I finished watching your video, I put my order in for number three. Ryan contacted me to say the Edge Tamers are on back order and are expected to arrive early January. I replied to his email and told him no big deal. I told him what a good ambassador for his product and company. He really appreciates your representation.
I think of your channel everytime I use the Edge Tamers, love them as does my gravel driveway! And when you ran over the camera, lol, glad it kept on filming - that should force the crew to get back to work. Toss a snowblower on that pto and see how long the battery runs that ;-) The quietness of plowing snow with an electric tractor IS cool though!
It’ll be interesting to see if solectrac will watch this video and decide to offer a winterization kit for colder climates. Speaking of temperature did the manual say anything about a high temperature limit. So far it seems like it would be good to use in the south but if it can only go up to 100 degrees or so then they’d be very limited on where and when someone could use it.
Thanks for pointing out the patent issue with Edge Tamers. I have a set of the real Edge Tamers, and really like them for the occasional gravel driveways and mulch work.
Even after whatever switch you operated, the loader speed would be a non starter for me. That's more than just an inconvenience.
OML Tim, when the camera fell. Priceless! Thanks for posting!
Well it works good in a dusting of powder. Can’t wait to see it with a snowblower on the back and a real storm
I guess you don't have to worry about the fuel gelling up in winter with that tractor! That's one good thing about it.
It will be neat to see all the testing and see how it performs. Can't wait to see it pull the TS12 the tuffline disc and the big rhino rear blade 😂. Honestly tho I am curious how it would do brush hogging or rototilling. I personally have no interest in buying any electric vehicles but I'll enjoy watching you test it.
I’d love to see a test after it sat in the cold overnight, then see what you have to do to change it. What if you didn’t have a heated garage?
Have you ever driven an electric vehicle?
@@johnwudarcki9315 You make a valid point. I think it's more 'real world' to think most folks don't have a heated garage to store a tractor. And if they did, I think the family vehicle would have priority for that spot inside.
I have 2 barns on our rural property and no heated area in either. I currently have a 48hp gas tractor, and a 29hp diesel tractor. They get equal use in summer while bush hogging, cutting, raking & baling hay. The diesel gets a little more use in our Upstate New York winters with plowing snow because it is 4x4 and has the front loader.
These battery operated vehicles (like my golf cart) are a nice thing, until you have to replace the special batteries... and they need to be monitored and properly maintained in cold weather!
Christy's a genius! Prove me wrong.
The speed of the hydraulics is Unacceptable
It sure seems quiet! Hope you guys had a nice Christmas 🎄
Go back inside! get warm! We'll see you another day!
Camera bloopers...love it
Tim, don't blame you, wind is nasty. Had guard duty in the Army in Korea, it was 52 below, but no wind, just had 8 below and 20mph wind. I almost swore I forgot my clothes, goes right through you. Anxious to see amount of running time.
Thanks for braving the weather for the video. Was surprised it only used 5% of battery. Had to laugh at the camera incident, been there, done that, a few times, so far have not badly damaged a camera yet. Stay warm!
It was brutal out there Tim. Even your camera mount gave up. lol Thankfully we have a warm up coming. I’m still not a big fan of an electric tractor. I like the sound of a diesel tractor. But it’s definitely interesting and will be watching to see your option on the machine. Thanks for sharing.
A Diesel engine does sound good, kind of full and strong. However it’s nice to be able to listen to the surroundings when driving an EV.
There's nothing like breathing fine particles.
I loved the training wheels for your bucket comment. i got 3 Edge Tamers some years ago based on an episode you did using them. The only problem i ever had with them is that I lost a bolt and couldn't find a replacement at Ace, True Value nor Tractor Supply. I wrote the folks at edge tamers and they sent me a couple of replacement bolts....free. Can't say enough about service after the sale. I totally recommend them. looking forward to more episodes. Just something "unnatural" about an electric tractor.....lol.
This tech could usher in a new generation of farmer/heavy equipment worker who doesn't suffer from hearing loss...and you can hear if someone is yelling at you. There's a lot to be said about how quiet this is.
Why do you need expensive and less useful "technology" to fight hearing loss? I mean are the $0.50 a pair of ear plugs too expensive or something? Not sure I would blame the tractor for operator error
Again this is false . I am older and do suffer from premature hearing loss related to farming ... But ... In 2023 we have tractors that are quieter than regular cars ... All our newer models have insonorisation that allows for quiet music listening ... Look up the Millenial farmer or Laura farms and their clips from the seat ! In situ .
Electric is a dead end for commercial trucks, tractors and any heavy equipment ... No future with present day energy storage technology . Down time is too important and cost of batteries is just astronomical .
Yes Mr Tim ... We do have 3 trucks for fresh produce deliveries ... 7/7 days a week ... 24/24 hrs ... Just change the operator and trucks and tractors work around the clock ... Any operation trying to make ends meet next to our farm ... Using electric ... Will go belly up in months .
@@niniv2706 ...and yet hearing loss is still a problem with heavy equipment operators. Quieter isn't quiet enough. This tractor IS.
Tim stay warm buddy appreciate the videos 👍
Wouldn't the tapered bucket dump snow better? Do you spray the inside surfaces with silicone? We love the Edgetamers. Interesting series.
merry christmas
Interesting to see how well the battery last with a snow blower or other PTO attachments ….also longer use in general!
I’m not a big EV fan but electric has its place when it’s built right! I’m sure it’ll have its drawbacks also but for the average home owner using it with “normal” jobs around the house this might be the ticket!
The battery lasts about 2 hours.
@@shoutingatclouds1050 not very long at all
@@markcole6475 I've seen the stats on the EV mini excavators they run 2 hours and then need a 8 hour charge. So you need to buy 12 EV Tractors to work a full 8 hour day.
@@shoutingatclouds1050 - Nailed ... This is why I trashed these tractors . They are a dead end for people who work and need to be competitive ... Maybe in a Communist nation of Green totalitarism ... Not even then as the elites would still ride the Oil train and planes .
Prob is on our farm we use 11 JDs of various sizes ... Ranging from 75 Hp to 175 hp ... I know we are a small family farm producing veggies for the fresh market 225acres . We are small but labor intensive and those tractors work in Spring around the clock ... I do mean on occasion 4 days ... 24hrs in a row .
Cost of having to buy electric packs 3 per tractors or even 5 for some ... Would be a nightmare to just handle and keep track of . Imagine ... 40 or 50 power packs at various stages of charging and readiness !!! No way . JD has a clip on a 6155r ( we have the diesel version of that one ) ... It is a superb piece of uselessness . It would not pull 24hrs of work even if we had 5 power packs ... Time down to charge would drive our cost through the roof . I am not even addressing the cost of those power packs .
Anyway ... Have a good 2023 and ... Happiness all around . Enjoy the little toy tractors ... But do not imagine farmers could "do their share" to be more green ... Just by wishing we farm with this ridiculous technology . It is simply NOT ready and will not be in a distant ... Yes distant ... Future . Later Guys . Peace out .
@@shoutingatclouds1050 - Just imagine we are going to farm a lot 15 miles away from our base garage ... What ... WE would have to carry on wagons 5 packs of batteries for EACH tractors ... ???? We would need to have the Kwh available on the premise fully ready and hope everything goes good . Imagine the cost of that operation itself ... 3 tractors on the raod 15 miles away 15 power packs of 1000kwh batteries on the ready ... What would that cost to buy/maintain/and keep track of ... All of these systems would be worked in different ways and evolved at different rates of decay ... Nightmare .
Electric technology in the state of science today is a ... DEAD END for trucks/buses/farming name it all commercial endeavours ... Oh I hear people saying but ... School boards have electric buses ... Yeah ... They are COMMUNISTS . They are hypocrites and rely on a fleet of diesel for back ups ... We can't afford to pull this financial stunt . We have to be competitive .
Politicians are after people's freedoms and the winds of rectitude are blowing even in agriculture and this will spell ... Hunger eventually . The worst is to come . I tell you that . Later good people .
I love my edge tamers. I leave them on until the gravel is well and truly frozen, then I take them off to make back dragging away from buildings and such easier.
I used to leave them on full time when I was clearing a path to my barn with the bucket. Worked beautifully! I finally bought a walk behind snowblower to remove my shoveling needs elsewhere, and it took over that barn path role.
I bought mine from R2, and damn Vevor for ripping them off.
Love my edge tamers too. Got the real deal
LOL, that tractor belongs in California only.
Agree
Because it’s electric? He’s in 10 degree weather with no performance issues and minimal battery issue. 💁
Seems like a great unit.perhaps this the ticket to cut down on global warming.
I agree but true test with coldest day to test it not a warmer day
@@brettmason1942 you mean climate change? The curtain was pulled back on that so the updated word salad is climate change to ensure there’s always an escape plan once the new crisis timeframe passes yet again
Tim you are funny and a great guy to explain everything love watching your videos or any thing that you have . Thank You
Actually been waiting on this one. Definitely a “outside the box” video.
Super cool video! Tim, you a truly dedicated!
I've been off your channel too long! Had no idea you got an electric!
For a year…we’ll have time to put it through its paces.
Interesting rig. Any idea of the total raise time for the loader and dump time? Seemed like they were a bit sleepy.
That's where the 5e with a cab pays for itself
That camera moment was classic. Let's raise a glass to camera people the world over!
A real-world test for the camera! LOL. Thanks for the video, Tim. Looking forward to more information on this.
Love the cats.
Thankya for sharing Tim! Now go inside & git all warmed up by the fireplace & drink plenty of hot chocolate😃
This "New-fangled " SO-LETRATOR is a real Humdinger. It has powerfully, and "Smove-ly" moved those few "Ounces" of snow.( not a realy good test for it).That "rig" just needs an electric seat fer cold weather Adventures. That was a "sad" -" ramming-speed camera mishap " --- the Rescue was flawless.Any day on a Tractor is a good day.Best wishes with all your endeavours.
Interesting , Thank You
I love the color 😍 💕, of the tractor
That was a brutally bitter cold weekend!
I don't blame the camera crew for staying warm.
Thanks for working in the cold to demonstrate the tractor. You should have been in your cab tractor. Blessings
I've been using the Solectrac e25 with a 66 inch HLA Snow pusher in Wisconsin, and it is workin well. Been able to do my long drive a number of charges on a single charge.
didnt get that much snow here in n c oklahoma did get down to -7 and -28 deg wind chill tho. think like the electric pu's is going to take a little time and learning to get them all figured out and bugs worked out. look at how long we have been driving gas and diesel engine vehicles lot of tech to catch up with!!! will be watching this series
I'm impressed that it seemed to run fine in the cold. Honestly it's either I'm just too old fashioned (I still use a flip phone) or it's you getting used to the functions but it just seems toyish to me. I'll stick with you though. Happy 2023.
My EV in Montana drops to 2.0 miles per kWh in the winter. In the summer I get as high as 5.0 miles per kWh. It's a big difference operating battery equipment in the cold under 40F. Today it was -8F.
Dis is amazing.
Bought edge tamers for this year. Love them.
Sorry Tim, I would have lasted about 5 minutes in the cold before I changed to a real tractor that will get the work done. Even with the hydraulic control sped up it still seemed very slow to me. I do like the "edge tamers" and will probably order a set for our loader bucket.
That’s pretty quiet Atleast!!!
I want to see it do some real work. That just wasn't much of a test yet , But I know you will deliver Tim.
Yep. Sorry. Cold and dead camera got in the way.
I'm looking forward to this series on the electric tractor.
Happy New Year Tim, it will be interesting to see how the electric lasts. I look forward to more testing. Head to head with a diesel would be interesting to see as well. -Mark🌴
No Contest, Diesel wins hands down.
@@Hogger280 - what's the criteria? Electric = more torque and at lower rpms, essentially zero maintenance, quieter, etc. That's far from a "hands down" decision. Keep in mind this is a compact tractor, not meant for 24/7 planting/harvesting. Remember, your diesel has a battery, too.
@@MarkYager he’s right. Diesel hands down
40 year farmer here but i will say buckets on a loader are the worst for snow removal if it is a quick attach bucket try the horst quick attach blade made right here in Canada awesome loader blade and they have the hyd angel option
What I’ve found with my Kubota 3350 is to run the engine at higher rev’s until the hydraulic fluid gets hot, then it functions normally. We went through the cold and very windy weather….I’ve plowed in below freezing and windy weather it’s no joke and requires wisdom!!
Looks like you could have yourself a cup of hot chocolate during the raising of the bucket and dumping of the snow. 😂
Looks like you have a few inches of powdery snow there. Please run the plow in heavy wet snow if you have a chance and let us know how long it runs without a charge. 👍
As he tests from home, I'm guessing he'll test with whatever mother nature dumps in his yard. It's not like he's got -10 degree snow down the driveway and 34 degree snow in front of the garage.
But, yes, light powdery snow is easy while wet heavy is a challenge, but don't forget the light powdery drifts can set like concrete.
@@aaronsbarker -- Hmm, do you work for the plow manufacturer? This isn't my first rodeo. I know how snow drifts work and there were no substantial drifts noted in the video at all.
@@soaringeagle4718 nearly all he had was drifts, everything else was blown off. No, they weren't "substantial", but it's what he had. You want Tim to trailer the tractor to Buffalo to see how it works up there? He tests with what he's got and if you can't understand that.... maybe your rodeos aren't what you think they are.
@@aaronsbarker Aaron, it's the holiday season and I'm not here to argue. Relative to testinng I wrote "if you have a chance" in my original post. Please read it again if you must. Before investing in expensive equipment I'd like to know how it performs under different conditions. I've seen some videos on electric skid steers that only operate 2-3 hours before requiring a charge. That means I need two or three skid steers sitting idle at a job sites for a productive work day. Totally open-minded here.
Couple honest observations...
1.) The seating area looks cramped for cheeseburger aficionados like myself.
2.) The hydraulics still look annoyingly slow even after you fixed that setting.
3.) You gave the electrics the best possible situation with keeping it in a heated garage before use. Much of the capacity of chemical batteries are lost when they are cold and so manufactures will have thermostatically controlled heaters in them for outdoor storage (much like diesel engine block heaters)...but it only works when they are plugged in. A worst case scenario would be to have it fully charged, but unplugged outside for a day or two to get a good cold soak and then try it again.
I think electric has a place, but I don't think it's a panacea. I'm looking forward to your testing!
Well I hope there’s a low power alarm so you can get back to the charger in time. If not, gonna be in big trouble if you didn’t have another tractor to pull it back to the charger. Stay warm ! Blessings to you in the coming new year !🙏
It has a gauge.
So far; 1. Impressive how quiet! Neighbors "shouldn't" complain about noise with the Solectrac. 2. Runs over cameras nicely... it still working! lol
That reminds me of when I ran over my iPhone 6s+ with the rear tire of a tractor, with ballast. The phone was totally shattered and was bent, but still worked. I used it for a couple more months before it finally bit the dust.
This was an excellent video which as always show real world conditions and experiences. Things happen like breaking the camera. You need your team member Christy.
Nice tractor tim and works great to in the cold, i hope the camara is repairable 👍
I don't have time for that slow bucket dump. Jeeze that would drive me insane.
I'm surprised they didn't send out a factory training rep to show you all about this tractor Tim. Was that an option? Even with the loader controls in the faster speed, it still seems slower than my Kubota (on video at least).
With your excellent camera crew, you don't need this, but there are tracking cameras on the market. I have owned two Soloshot models and now am using a Pixio. Soloshot uses GPS tracking, Pixio uses 3 sensors you put around the work site. I use them for my equestrian training, so no one has to take the time to stand there with a video camera watching me practice for an hour. And the horse hasn't stepped on a camera so far !
The 60V Snow Blowers don't work in the heavy wind blown Snow in MN. Had to use the reliable Gas blower to clear snow
As always great video Tim!
I have to applaud your dedication, with using that open station electric tractor over your nice, heated cab 3 series out in that bitter cold had to be a tough call to make. I know I would have made a different choice. lol
Yea! Not such a brilliant decision!!!