Volkswagen has been expanding its presence across Africa, recently creating a dedicated "Sub-Saharan" region to oversee operations. The company already has manufacturing and assembly facilities in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana. A similar e-tractor initiative, the GenFarm Project, is already underway in Rwanda, providing sustainable mechanized farming solutions.
HAYWARD, CA—Lithos Energy Inc. has opened a new facility here to produce modular lithium-ion batteries for use in “demanding environments” such as agriculture, construction, defense, marine and mining applications.
KERNERSVILLE, NC—Deere & Co. will build a 115,000-square-foot assembly plant here to increase production of its Kreisel Electric brand of batteries and charging equipment electric tractors and off-road vehicles.
CAMBRIDGE, England—European engineers typically favor nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) for construction equipment applications, while their counterparts in China tend to prefer lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Traditionally, tractors and other equipment used on farms and construction sites rely on loud, dirty diesel engines. But, that’s starting to change. A variety of manufacturers are unveiling battery-powered machinery that is energy efficient and powerful, yet quiet and environmentally friendly.
