increase font size
A Gator light utility vehicle made from recyclable materials.
Following a four-year collaboration between global giants John Deere and Ford’s sustainable materials team, the duo set out with a goal of developing a prototype vehicle using waste streams converted into viable machine components.
The project brief was to build a Gator light utility vehicle using renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials. According to senior material engineer Keith Shanter, that was difficult because they had to work within the current framework of production tooling.
“We weren’t going to invest in new tooling for a product that won’t actually go to market, but we did everything we could to find sustainable materials that were suitable replacements.”
In the end, the wide variety of different materials used included soya beans for the roof and doors and seat foam. Flax and hemp fibre, wheat straw and maple wood were selected for interior panels and exterior door panels are made from sugar cane with maize cob filler. A rice hull filler was used for the dashboard and the grab handles are made from recycled fishing nets. Also water-sourced, the bonnet was made from plastic bottles pulled from the Mississippi river, while a storage compartment was made from ground coconut, adding to the list of surprising materials used to make this concept Gator.
JD has no plans to take the concept to the production stage, but one component from this project that is in Gators produced today is a defrost louvre made from recycled tyres.
Already causing a stir in the burgeoning ute sector, JAC (“Jack”) has raised its profile by being named as the latest major sponsor of June’s National Fieldays, where it will officially introduce its top-of-the-line T9 4WD double cab ute to the market, joining its fleet of 100% EV and Cummins diesel trucks.
New Holland is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the introduction its Twin Rotor threshing and separation technology, which has evolved from a single model in 1975 to a range today, led by the new CR10 and CR11.
The company behind the iconic TPW Woolpress, which fundamentally changed the way wool is baled in Australia and New Zealand, is turning 50.
Since Donald Trump’s import tariff announcement, the world has been on a wild economic ride.
Continental was founded in 1871, offering solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation.
Among this year’s Primary Industry NZ (PINZ) Awards finalists are a Southlander who created edible bale netting and rural New Zealanders who advocate for pragmatic regulation and support stressed out farmers.
Rockit Global has appointed Ivan Angland as its new chief operating officer as it continues its growth strategy into 2025.
Nominations are now open for the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board.
A Mid-Canterbury dairy farmer is bringing a millennial mindset to his family farm and is reaping the rewards, with a 50% uplift in milksolids production since he took over.
OPINION: People have criticised Christopher Luxon for the time he’s taken to appoint a new chief science advisor.
A new Indonesian school milk programme is expected to significantly increase the country's total dairy consumption, creating opportunities for New Zealand and other global dairy players.
