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BRP announces five-year plan to offer electric models in each of its product lines.
BRP, maker of the well-known Can Am brand of UTVs, has announced a five-year plan that will see the company offering electric models in each of its product lines by the end of 2026.
To achieve this, BRP plans to invest CA$300M in product development, specialised equipment, infrastructure, production tooling and facilities.
After developing and evaluating several concepts, BRP has made the decision to develop its Rotax modular electric powerpack technology, which will be incorporated in all its product lines to give customers an electric option.
The plan includes expanding its Rotax electric power unit development infrastructure in Gunskirchen, Austria and creating the Electric Vehicle Development Centrem at the home base of Valcourt, Quebec, Canada. This facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment, including several sophisticated test benches and dynamometers, plus an ultramodern robotised manufacturing cell for electric batteries.
In early 2019, BRP acquired assets of Alta Motors, an electric motorcycle manufacturer, is currently expanding its R&D team and developing electrcidrivelines with the involvement of engineers and specialists in Quebec, Austria, Finland and the United States.
"We have always known that electrification was not a question of if but a question of when," said José Boisjoli, President and chief executive officer as he released the new five-year plan.
"Today, we're very excited to unveil more details of our plan to deliver market-shaping products that will enhance the consumer experience by offering new electric options," he added.
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
Becoming the norm in the automobile industry, but much less so in agriculture, Dutch self-propelled sprayer manufacturer Agrifac has developed a diesel-electric version of its Vanguard 55.
Building on the success of the existing Massey Ferguson 7S series, ahead of the upcoming EIMA Show, the manufacturer has announced the arrival of its new MF 7S MARK 2 range, offering six choices from 170 to 245hp, positioned between the current MF 7S and the MF 8S Xtra series.
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