When discussing reduced herbicide use or organic farming, a common argument made is that more tractor passes are required, which increases emissions and the carbon footprint of vineyard operations. However, that no longer has to be the case as electric tractors are entering the market that are competitive with, or even outcompete, conventional tractors. The 100% electric Monarch Tractor has been developed here in our backyard, and the development team includes Napa Valley Vintner and Monarch Co-Founder and Chief Farming Officer, Carlo Mondavi.

A Monarch Tractor in operation for 1,000 hours a year will prevent 53 tons of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere annually, when compared to a diesel tractor. Monarch also includes a digital plugin that can share your real-time emissions offsets on your website or in your tasting room.

The Monarch Tractor can be driven by an operator, just like a conventional tractor, or drive itself autonomously, freeing up workers for other tasks. There are two power options – 2WD and 4WD – with 10+ hours of operational run time. Monarch Tractor is currently conducting pilots in vineyards to determine how long the tractors can run with different attachments and on varying slopes. Each tractor is programmed for owner properties and actively “learns” as it operates in the vineyard. For safety when running autonomously, the tractor senses workers and stops until they are no longer in the path.