El-forest
The engines in forest machinery shall be able to lift heavy trees and therefore require, for a short periods, a high power output. El-forest has designed a forest tractor with a much smaller diesel engine which also uses batteries to cope with the short power requirement peaks. The batteries are charged when the machine is driven downhill.
Measurements done on the prototype indicate fuel savings of as much as 35 percent and the company calculates that it could halve fuel consumption.
El-forest has been developed by the inventor Lennart Lundström and the engineering company Thordab in Örnsköldsvik. Key individuals in the development include, among others, Gunnar Bäck, CEO, who has considerable experience within the sales of forest machinery and Roger Gustavsson, the Chief Executive of Thordab. He has previously developed robot demolition programs which have been subsequently sold to Brokk, the world leader in the manufacture of remote-controlled demolition machinery. Now, three forest tractors shall be manufactured and tested, among others by Sveaskog who has ordered a machine.
The forest tractor offers other environmental advantages as well. It has a minimal turning radius which reduces the damage to the land and remaining ground. The small wheels and its low-weight further reduce the pressure on the ground. Hybrid operation also means that it runs quieter.
