Today, at fruit grower Wolfcarius’s orchard in Gottem (Deinze), the testing began for a unique agricultural vehicle: the 100% electric, driver-optional Monarch MK-V tractor. Developed by Monarch Tractor, a US-based company, this innovative machine will undergo trials at Wolfcarius, performing standard orchard tasks like mowing, spraying, and goods transportation over the next week. From May 21st, it will move to Colruyt Group’s vineyard in Frasnes-lez-Anvaing for a week, where it will maneuver between the narrow vine corridors, cutting grass on the hillside. This collaboration and practical test are part of Colruyt Group’s commitment to seeking sustainable and innovative agricultural solutions, engaging and inspiring its partners in the process.
Seeking Sustainable Solutions for Modern Farming
Farming faces numerous challenges, including labor shortages and climate change, impacting Belgian farmers and others worldwide. Local orchard owners often rely on seasonal workers during peak seasons, yet finding suitable labor for time-intensive and repetitive tasks is increasingly challenging. Moreover, like other sectors, agriculture is under pressure to reduce CO2 emissions. While electrification in farming progresses more slowly than in other industries, there’s growing interest in zero-emission machinery that offers not only diesel savings and reduced CO2 emissions but also data-driven insights and operational efficiency through computer vision and AI.
Collaborating for Innovation
Colruyt Group, as part of the agri-food chain, maintains close ties with agricultural partners. Through Astanor Ventures, the group connected with Monarch Tractor, a US-based technology firm, pioneering the world’s first 100% electric, driver-optional, smart tractor. Kim Vancauwenberghe, head of Colruyt Group Smart Innovation, emphasizes the importance of exploring electrification in agricultural vehicles to address modern farming challenges and underscores the collective impact of these challenges across the agricultural chain.
Sustainable and Autonomous Operations
Utilizing the Monarch MK-V tractor can significantly reduce emissions, with its clean energy equivalent to removing 14 passenger vehicles from the road. The tractor can perform various autonomous operations while using existing implements and trained labor, transforming a single operator into a remote fleet manager monitoring labor productivity and operational expenditure savings. Monarch’s Wingspan Ag Intelligence (WingspanAI) platform offers data gathering, video collection, and emissions reduction tracking, streamlining farmers’ compliance with regulations on chemical usage and emissions reductions.
Toward a Sustainable Farming Future
The Monarch MK-V tractor offers European farmers a path to compliance with chemical and emissions regulations without additional financial strain. Its combination of clean energy and profitable agricultural technology represents a significant step toward a sustainable farming future that benefits farmers, consumers, and the food ecosystem. With industry-leading battery runtime and safety features, the Monarch MK-V sets a new standard for farm machinery, enhancing both performance and environmental stewardship.
Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor, expresses excitement about the partnership with Colruyt Group, stating, “We are thrilled to partner with Colruyt Group and showcase the Monarch MK-V tractor in Belgium, a country committed to investing in and supporting sustainable agricultural technologies. We believe that this test in Belgium will not only validate the effectiveness of the Monarch MK-V tractor but also demonstrate that planet sustainability and farmer profitability can go hand-in-hand.” Following the two-week test in collaboration with Colruyt Group and Wolfcarius, Monarch will continue its European tour in the coming months.
Testing Future-Oriented Solutions with Agricultural Partners
The autonomous, electric tractor is capable of handling essential tasks in vineyards, orchards, dairies, and other agricultural sectors. Starting today, the Monarch MK-V will be mowing grass between apple trees at Wolfcarius for the upcoming week. Stephan Wolfcarius from Wolfcarius remarks, “We are very curious to see what this tractor can do in terms of scanning the land, possibly storing data for observation of disease patterns, insects, and planting growth level. With regards to autonomous driving, we are looking forward to discovering its capabilities and safety. This machine could be a valuable asset for operations like spraying, mowing, and mechanical weed control, where speeds are sometimes very low and labor-intensive. Electrification is also something we need to work on to minimize CO2 emissions on our farm: tractor autonomy and charging time will be very important to us.”
Experimenting with Innovative Techniques on Own Farmland
In addition to inspiring and facilitating access for partners, Colruyt Group aims to invest in sustainable, zero-emission innovative techniques on its agricultural land. From May 21st, the Monarch MK-V tractor will cut grass between narrow vine corridors on the hillside of Colruyt Group’s vineyard in Frasnes-lez-Anvaing for one week. Kim Vancauwenberghe states, “We will also extensively test the Monarch MK-V tractor on our own farmlands. Our country is not yet legislatively ready for the optimal deployment of such vehicles. We will assess whether the tractor is a financially viable investment for our 9-hectare vineyard and explore other opportunities, such as leveraging data collected from the tractor’s cameras, and potential forms of cooperation. This test aligns with the innovative solutions that Colruyt Group applies on its own farmland, such as testing black beans as future crops in Limburg and using beehives to map biodiversity, plant diversity, and pollutants in the environment.”
