The Sommet de l'Élevage, the European show for livestock professionals, organizes the Sommets d'Or competition each year. The event rewards a number of innovations in eight distinct categories. 70 applications were submitted for this new edition, with only 13 of them winning awards. Among those, the Ecostop function was a winner in the machinery category. The members of the jury chose this option based on fuel economy and engine preservation.
The principle is simple: the engine shuts off automatically when idling and when the driver is out of the cabin. Configurable from one to 30 minutes of inactivity, this function has been designed to meet the needs of all farming applications, always prioritizing user productivity. Ecostop is activated and deactivated very simply by pressing a DSB (Double Switch Button) within easy reach inside the cabin. This function significantly improves the three main components of the total cost of ownership (representing 82% of the TCO), which are: machine depreciation, fuel consumption and preventive maintenance. This option is available on almost the whole MLT agricultural range and can also be retrofitted on MLT models produced since September 2018.
Arnaud Sochas, the Manitou brand's agricultural product range manager, explained: "Thanks to the data collection made possible by our connected machines, we have found that the engine spends 15% to 30% of the total operating time idling. Based on 15%, for one machine used for 1,000 hours per year, the Ecostop function will enable the purchaser to save €1,500 in the first year!"
