Knegt thinks ahead and is way ahead of the competition

Award-winning Dutch-made electric tractors

Knegt Quality Tractors developed an all-electric tractor. The aim is to abandon diesel engines altogether before the end of the year. 'Our tractors are not inferior to diesel models in terms of performance.'

Twenty years ago, Jeroen van Eerd started his company Knegt Quality Tractors. Born more or less out of necessity. "I have horses at home and needed a tractor of my own. I was shocked at how scarce and expensive even used tractors were. Then I went to Asia to see what was available from different manufacturers. In the end, I had parts for six tractors shipped and started building them at home." 

Knegt Quality Tractors was born and successful from the beginning. The first tractors were sold before they were even built. Of course, many improvements were made in recent years. The company also grew: it now employs ten people and more than two hundred machines were sold last year. Van Eerd: "The main reason for this is our unprecedented price/quality ratio. The tractors are very 'back to basics'. Because they are simple to assemble, anyone in the world can repair them with minimal tools, should the need arise. In addition, and this is unique, we have reduced all bearings and seals throughout the tractor to a standardized size. Even in the gearbox. Every mechanics company has these lying around or can buy them from their local supplier." The tractors are supplied by Knegt itself and through a dealer network throughout Europe and even far beyond: including Australia, Sierra Leone and Curaçao.   

Emission-free tractors with low maintenance costs

Three years ago, Van Eerd developed the electric tractor. There are now two models (45hp and 55hp), which the entrepreneur says can do exactly the same as any diesel. For this concept, Van Eerd was awarded an innovation prize at the Agro- and Groentechniek Holland trade fair. The electric tractors are emission-free, produce no noise and have lower maintenance costs. The tractors are equipped with two electric motors with separate hydraulics and drive, making it easy to adjust the load to each type of work. These are the first electric tractors in a higher power class. "Basically, the tractor is the same as our diesel models. We only replaced the engine with a battery," Van Eerd says. "I conceived and developed everything myself and the production process takes place here in Veldhoven. Last year we delivered almost fifty of them." 

Ambitions

The electric models open up a whole new market: they are in fact ideal for maintenance of golf courses and sports fields, but also for flower growers, for example. They can use them in their greenhouses during the day, whereas when using diesel engines, no personnel are allowed in the greenhouse. The tractors are delivered complete and as desired: with or without a cabin or with a half-cab. They are equipped with the necessary labels and things like sound insulation and heating. 

The entrepreneur still has plenty of ambitions. For example, he would like to develop yet another electric model, one size larger than the current one. "I have all the parts in house, so I could deliver them in no time. But the demand is so great that we can only just manage it now, and technical personnel are hard to find."