Friday, 18 March 2022 10:55

Sun and sand no bother

Written by  Mark Daniel
One of Valtra's tractors has been basking in the searing heat of a Saudi Arabian desert. One of Valtra's tractors has been basking in the searing heat of a Saudi Arabian desert.

Valtra Tractors usually hit the headlines for their cold-weather performance – not surprising given these machines are manufactured in Finland.

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.

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