Re: (ET) walk behind electric tractor?

["David Roden (Akron OH USA)" <roden ald net>]

On 13 Feb 2003 at 22:53, Pieter Litchfield wrote:

> I'm not sure what the
> market is for a smaller lighter, "environmentally friendly" walk behind
> that is more expensive, than, for example, a new 14 hp DR brushhog or a
> low end John Deere lawn tractor.

That's exactly the problem GE faced 30 years ago, with the Elec-Trak, and 
the 
problem that Electric Tractor Corp (now Electric Ox?) faces today.

As anybody who tries to be "green" (other than Kermit <g>) knows, the 
green 
alternative almost always costs more.  This is mostly because of (1) lower 
demand and thus missing economy of scale, which is rather a 
chicken-and-egg 
matter; and (2) the notion that most green consumers tend to be upscale 
and 
therefore are willing and able to pay more to implement their convictions.

In the case of the ET, though, time has come down on its side.  The person 
who 
bought his new in the early 70s has probably seen his neighbor buy at 
least 2 
more new gas tractors since then -- I don't know of many low end John 
Deere 
garden tractors that will last 30+ years.  

David Roden
Akron OH USA