Re: (ET) RE: ET mowing

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

On 8 Apr 2004 at 6:09, George3476 aol com wrote:

>  unfortunately i don't think there were any
> electric ZT's back then as it's been the rage of the last ten years ...

I believe the first tractors built (as prototypes?) by Canada's Electric 
Tractor Corp. were a variant on ztr design.  They had a motor per rear 
wheel.  
There was no steering gear.  Under control of a joystick, the motors did 
the 
steering.  The setup looked a lot like a wheelchair control (maybe it was).

Rumor has it that they abandoned this design because the cost of two 
motors 
and a sophisticated control was prohibitive, and because users didn't like 
the 
unfamiliar control.  

Maybe ETC were just ahead of their time.  I've never used a ZTR, but I 
guess 
they take a fair bit of  getting used to.  This probably isn't a problem 
for 
the person who works for a landscaping company and uses one every day, but 
homeowners, who use them only on weekends, are notoriously conservative in 
these matters.  If gas powered ZTRs really are gaining a significant 
market 
share, perhaps an electric one would have a chance now.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
1991 Solectria Force 144vac
1991 Ford Escort Green/EV 128vdc
1970 GE Elec-trak E15 36vdc
1974 Avco New Idea 36vdc
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                                        -- Napoleon

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