KUALA LUMPUR: A group of researchers from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) led by Dr. Mohd Azwan Mohd Bakri has invented a three-wheeled utility farm vehicle.
The vehicle is equipped with a hybrid power electric sprayer system for maintenance of oil palm plantations and transportation of palm fruits in plantations.
Dr Mohd Azwan said the three-wheeled utility farm vehicle built with a single chassis was lightweight and can be used for various activities in the plantations such as spraying pesticides using an electric pump.
"This vehicle can also be used for field applications by simply changing the rear platform. This simple innovation can increase the productivity of workers and smallholders of the country's oil palm industry," he said in a statement today.
In addition, other innovations are the use of hybrid generator power systems, namely solar panels and engine chargers with deep discharge batteries.
The system will enable a continuous supply of energy for the application of electric pesticide sprayer installed on vehicles.
According to Mohd Azwan, MPOB and a local Bumiputera company, Fulle Technik Sdn Bhd had signed an agreement for the transfer of the technology.
Fulle Technik has embarked on an innovation effort to turn the results of this study into commercial products.
The technological innovation is expected to be in the local market in the near future.
"This simple utility vehicle produced at an affordable price can be used in various types of plantation and agricultural activities.
"Meanwhile, hybrid electric generators are convenient to consumers as they can use electrical equipment in the plantations such as pumps, sprayers, sensors, and many more and at the same time they can take advantage of the industrial revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) technology," he said.
According to him, the function of the three-wheeled utility vehicle was similar to that of other motor vehicles in the market and it is powered by diesel or petrol engines.
Additional power for farm equipment such as electric sprayers is generated from hybrid power systems, solar and engine chargers.
The hybrid power system is controlled by user-defined electronic equipment via a switch placed in front of the cabin.
"This machine is developed through engineering research methods where the specifications are studied to ensure it is suitable for the target market. Therefore, production costs can be reduced," said Mohd Azwan.
Research for the innovation began in 2016 and it was introduced in 2019.
Preliminary studies were funded by MPOB and pre-commercialisation efforts were funded by government agencies.
They included Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry and the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation.
Fulle Technik was appointed as the prototype developer while FGV Sdn Bhd was one of the plantation companies in the initial prototype testing.
The innovation differs from the three-wheeled utility machinery currently in the market built for rugged plantation activities such as for the transportation of fresh fruit bunches up to one tonne.
The three-wheeled utility vehicle places more emphasis on aspects of support activities in the plantations such as herbicide spraying.
Smallholders do not need expensive and too heavy utility machineries to support their plantation activities and other agricultural activities due to their small farm size.
