Merlo NZ launches as direct subsidiary
Imported to New Zealand since 1995, being 25 years with the last distributor, Merlo has become one of the leading players in the telehandler market for agriculture, construction and specialised operations.
However, one of the company’s N-Series units has recently been seen basking in the searing heat of a Saudi Arabian desert.
The N155 has been playing an important support role in the Extreme-E race series, where two dozen electric SUVs are competing for the title.
Equipped with an array of winches, a front-end loader and oversized dual tyres front and rear, the tractor’s workload includes scooping up rocks and boulders, towing the generators used to recharge racing car batteries, and using pallet tines to move ancillary vehicles.
The Extreme-E series is designed to raise awareness for climate change, alongside showcasing the performance and benefits of low-carbon vehicles, by racing electrically-powered vehicles in remote locations. All championship cars are based on a fully electric SUV called Odyssey 21, which has a peak output of 550hp and can power the 1.7 tonne vehicles from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
This race calendar kicked off on the UK’s south coast just before Christmas, with the remaining events scheduled for Sardinia in May, Chile in September and Uruguay in November.
