Electric Machines in Agriculture: Origin,Development and Applications

Since the late 19th century, efforts have been made to determine the feasibility of employing electric trolley systems in farming. In the early 20th century, German farmers extensively utilized trolley/cable ploughs, while the introduction of gasoline tractors later reduced the use of electricity in agriculture to limited applications such as electroculture, short-distance farm machinery, and lawn mowers. However, the advent of lithium-ion batteries in the past decade has revived interest in electrically powered equipment, including drones and tractors, for more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices. In his latest installment of his electric transport history series, Kevin Desmond highlights the contributions of the innovative engineers who have developed and refined these electric tractors and agricultural drones.