Updating a Vintage Electric Tractor for a Modern Homestead and Market Garden
- Jared Regier
- Jul 1
- 9 min read
There’s a gradual shift happening on our farm that's making my work quieter, less unpredictable, and emission free. It's the shift from gasoline driven machinery to electric power, and this year, we took one more step in this direction by adding an electric tractor to our equipment collection. When you imagine an electric tractor, you likely think of a new hi-tech machine with nice curves and lots of bells and whistles, and probably something made in China. However, the electric tractor I am talking about is actually 50 years old, has a blocky body made of solid steel, and was built in America. It's the General Electric Elec-Trak E8 model.
Why choose electric power over gasoline or diesel?
Fossil fuel powered tractors are obviously more prevalent today despite the rise of electric vehicles, so it took some extra effort to seek out this electric tractor as an alternative for our household. As you might guess, I was motivated by the cleaner operation and improved efficiency of electric devices, especially when powered by a solar photovoltaic system, but lately I've also become less accepting of the constant maintenance and repairs that gasoline engines constantly require. In my mind, machines are supposed to save me time and money, and anything I've owned with a gasoline engine was in need of constant maintenance and costing me time and money. It's only natural to want to opt out of the fixing, fueling, and fussing required to keep a gasoline powered engine in working order.
This electric tractor isn't the first electric machine I've owned. In my market gardening work, I've been using an electric tilther and electric shredder for years already. They both operate flawlessly. Our family also owned an electric Fiat 500e for several years. It never let us down and it had the lowest operation and maintenance cost of any vehicle I have ever owned. So when we moved to a larger property and started thinking about small tractors to help with the maintenance, I started searching for small electric tractors. With so many EVs on the road these days, I figured there must be some electric tractors out there already, and I was right! However, the new electric tractors also come with hefty price tags in neighbourhood of $8000 CAD. That's why I was delighted when my electric tractor search also uncovered the lost world of the GE Elec-Trak tractor line, and last summer, I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of these 50 year old gems. Thanks to a few updates, it's quickly become one of our farm's most valuable contributors.
So when I dsicoverd the forgotten world of the GE electric tractor line and found a vintage 1970s GE Elec-Trak E8 for sale in my area, I saw an opportunity. I was excited not just to save some money and restore a piece of old equipment, but to also explore how well electric power could replace gas for the real, daily work of growing food and homesteading. Could it haul a heavy load in a trailer? Would the battery charge run out and leave me stranded in the field? Would it still work in our frigid Canadian winters? Spoiler: it’s working better than I expected.
The General Electric Elec-Trak Tractor
The first Elec-Trak prototypes were introduced by General Electric in 1969 and various models of the machines were in production from 1970-1974. It was the first commercially available electric garden tractor, inspired by General Electric's work with electric vehicles at the time. The E8 model was a mid-sized machine with a 36-volt electric motor, lead-acid batteries, a steel frame, and compatibility with mid-mount mower decks and other attachments. It didn’t have fancy electronics, just simple, serviceable engineering—and it was built to work.
I chuckled when I saw that these tractors were first marketed as "cordless", although I can see why they would want to emphasize this fact when many gardeners would have had corded lawn mowers in those days. Actually, the first lawn mowing I ever did as a kid was with our family's corded lawn mower. It's not too far of a stretch to imagine someone thinking a corded tractor might work too. Oh, if only GE had access to the battery technology we have today...
Still, GE deserves five stars for fully exploring this electric tractor concept with the technology they did have, and they didn't stop working once they had a functional electric garden tractor. No. They went on to add on a collection of supporting implements including lawn mower decks, snow plows, snow blowers, front-end loaders, tillers, chain saws, hedge trimmers...and even a fork lift!
The E8M Heavy Duty model of Elec-Trak that we have originally had a few variations from the standard E8.
Battery Power: The E8M was initially equipped with three 12-volt batteries, all located under the hood. This resulted in a relatively limited run time, capable of mowing less than an acre on flat terrain.
Performance: It had a tight turning radius, three forward speeds, one reverse speed, and a top speed of 4 mph.
Lift Mechanism: Unlike models with electric front lifts, the E8M featured a manual handle on the right side to raise and lower the mid-mounted mower deck and snow/dozer blade.
Standard Features: It did not come standard with a fuel gauge, headlights, or an accessory outlet for hand tools, but these were available as optional add-ons.
Optional Upgrades: A "Heavy Duty Kit" (KT25) was offered later, allowing the use of six 12-volt batteries for extended run time and improved traction
Unfortunately, GE was a few decades ahead of its time and sales weren't as high as they would have liked, so they ended Elec-Trak production in 1974 after just a few years on the market, but the longevity, practicality, and affordability of the Elec-trak series helped grow a cult-like following that lives on today. If you scroll through the classified ads once in a while and keep your eyes open, you may just catch a glimse of one of these forgotten treasures. able to pick up one of these gems for your own homestead.
Upgrading to a 36V Lithium Battery
The used Elec-Trak I found was well cared for and stored under shelter for most of its lifetime so most components were still in pretty good shape. Even after fifty years, the core of this machine was solid. All it needed was a new power source and a few upgrades to become a dependable, modern homesteading tool.
The first major update I tackled was replacing the existing lead-acid battery pack with a 36V lithium-ion battery. This instantly transformed the tractor. It’s lighter, runs longer, charges faster, and has noticeably more power to draw upon for uphill climbs or heavy mowing tasks. The battery I chose has 100Ah of capacity, which is double the capacity of the 3 heavier 12V lead acid batteries that came with the tractor when I bought it. The lithium battery fits nicely under the front hood of the tractor.
Once the battery was installed and tested, I naturally wondered how long each charge would last. Our Elec-Trak didn't come with any kind of battery monitoring and I wasn't keen to get stranded in the bush somewhere with a dead battery, so to keep tabs on the power system, I also installed a digital battery monitor on the dashboard. It’s a simple addition that gives me real-time feedback on my rate of energy consumption and the amount of power remaining in the battery, making it easier to plan work around available charge. Now there is no more guesswork, and I'm never surprised with a dead battery halfway through a job.
Like me, you're probably also curious just how much work can one do with this tractor on a full charge? To answer this question, I went for a long slow drive one day and tracked my energy usage. It turns out that our Elec-Trak now has a range of 46 km and with our electricity rates at 15 cents/kWh that 46 km trip cost me 54 cents! That tested range was in comfortably warm temperatures without any accessory implements running. Obviously, if I'm mowing a lawn or plowing snow in the winter, the range will be less than 46 km, but after a year of using the tractor in many contexts, I've never longed for more capacity. I can mow all of the grass in our entire 3 acre property and plow the snow off of our entire driveway with less than one charge, and that's all I really need.
Adding a 120V AC Outlet for Mobile Power
With the lithium system now supplying the drive motor and mower deck, I decided to make use of the lead acid batteries that came with the tractor and add more utility. I installed a trio of 12V deep-cycle batteries under the rear seat, and wired them to a 3000W power inverter to serve a standard 120V receptacle that I mounted on the front face of the tractor. This independent circuit turns the Elec-Trak into a mobile power station for any electric tools and equipment I want to use in the field.
With this 120V AC receptacle, I can plug electric tools into our tractor anywhere on the property and not have the hassle of dragging out extension cords or firing up a noisy generator. It’s perfect for remote repairs, light construction, or anything that needs power on the fly. So far I've really appreciated this mobile power source for operating a heat gun, which I use a lot when building irrigation systems, and a reciprocating saw, which makes quick work of removing tree branches and roots.
That same 12V battery bank also runs a front-mounted winch that I installed to raise and lower the snow plow accessory during the winter. I leave the winch in place in summer because it’s handy for lifting or pulling random loads.
Getting Work Done on the Homestead
We've had almost a full year to play around with our Elec-Trak at this point and it's been busy in all seasons. Here are a few examples of the tasks we've been using it for.
Mowing lawn: It was important to me that our new tractor could mow lawns and the Elec-Trak handles this task with ease thanks to the original mower deck that can be mounted under the belly of the tractor. It's not as nimble as a zero-turn mower, but it's getting the job done with a much lower cost.
Hauling firewood, rocks, or compost: The hauling capability wasn't the main reason for getting a tractor, but it's sure been a nice bonus. The addition of a classic dump cart has enabled our Elec-Trak to haul a variety loads around our property as needed.
Powering electric tools out in the field: I already have a solid collection of plug-in tools so I love that the Elec-Trak power source makes all of them mobile. Plug-in tools generally draw and deliver more power than their battery-powered equivalents, but the large battery supply in the Eelc-Trak has no trouble meeting this demand. Best of all, I have no temptation at all to acquire any more yard care equipment powered with small gasoline engines.
Plowing Snow: To make the tractor winter-ready, I mounted tire chains for extra grip on snow and ice and added a custom plow mounting bracket under the belly of the tractor. Paired with the winch, this turns the Elec-Trak into an effective snow-clearing machine that starts every time, regardless of the temperature.
So far, our updated Elec-Trak E8 has adapted well to every job I have thrown at it, and it's done it all without gas, fumes, or outrageous engine noise. It’s quickly become one of my favourite machines on the farm.
What Else Could an Electric Tractor Do?
The process of updating this vintage tractor has me thinking beyond what it was originally designed for. With the greatly improved capacity of today's lithium ion batteries, how else might we use this tractor for mobile energy storage and delivery? Could it power a field wash station for vegetables? Could it pump water in remote locations? Could it double as an energy storage bank for off-grid photovoltaic system? Could it replace a small generator for farm stands? The answer to all of these possibilities is "yes", so there is a fun opportunity here to reimagine how we use energy on small farms. A well-built electric tractor like the Elec-Trak doesn’t just replace a gasoline driven mower or cart. It becomes the foundation for a more flexible, resilient, and sustainable farming system. If you’re curious about converting or updating a vintage tractor yourself, or just want to know more about how I set this one up, feel free to reach out.
