The Farmer’s EV: Kulan Electric Utility Vehicle

Originally published on Sustainnovate.

From passenger cars, to golf carts, to utility vehicles, to the world’s largest truck, there are a lot of types of electric vehicles out there. But there’s a cool new one named after a donkey that gets into yet another market.

The Kulan, named after a Central Asian type of donkey… despite the creators being German. (Don’t ask me.)

Looking at the vehicle, you may be wondering where the electric motors are. There are two 2-kilowatt motors in the back two wheels. There’s a lithium-ion battery sitting there between them.

So, what’s the range on this beast? 186 miles. And it has a top speed of 31 mph, which should be plenty for the farms and parks where it is targeted for use. Most importantly, the vehicle can carry 1 ton of cargo, whether it be hay, rakes & shovels, or donkeys.

Of course, the Kulan also enjoys the various benefits all electric vehicles enjoy: it doesn’t pollute the nearby environment, it’s quiet, you can plug it in at home (or home base) to charge it, it cuts global warming emissions, and it saves you a ton of money on fuel.

Green Car Reports writes: “Also shown at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover earlier this year, the Kulan was designed by a consortium of 14 companies and research organizations–according to CarsGuide–operating under the umbrella of Poly-lab.net.”

Reprinted with permission.