STICK TO THE ROAD with Hennie: From Scout to Stout in no time.

This article, titled "STICK TO THE ROAD with Hennie: From Scout to Stout in no time," discusses the topic of electric and hybrid vehicles in the context of farming. The author mentions the potential benefits of hybrid vehicles for heavy loads and steep slopes, as well as the preference of many bike riders in Africa to transition to bakkies (pickup trucks). The article also mentions Toyota's plans to establish a plant near Durban to serve sub-Saharan Africa with vehicles and parts. The author shares a personal anecdote about the death of their dog, Scout, and a conversation with their farm mechanic, Gert, about replacing Scout with an electric motorbike. Gert argues that electric motorbikes can carry loads and mentions two East African companies that produce electric motorbikes. The author expresses their preference for waiting for Toyota's anticipated half-ton Stout, powered by a hybrid system. Gert disagrees with the idea of making hydrogen for energy storage and argues that modern diesel engines have cleaner exhaust emissions than coal-fired plants. The article concludes with a discussion about the role of hybrids in diesel-electric trains and mining trucks. [Extracted from the article]