A market analysis by McKinsey & Company is available here.
The G.T. (Getting There) concept is a proposal for solving "The Last Mile Problem" in transportation for the remote farmer without building and maintaining costly roads and investing in road vehicles. With transportation available it is possible to bring crop to market and farm implements back.
In addition the vehicle can serve as a stationary power source for many other needs (electricity, milling, water pumping etc).
For emergencies, when often fragile infrastructure is destroyed, there is a need for food- and relief transport utilizing paths and earth roads.
The technology has to be at an appropriate level, enabling local production and simple maintenance.
The basic technology function shall not be inferior.
The basic concept comprises a chassis with an internal drive train. Two identical rigid axles, new or reused, is connected to the main frame by use of two turning rings (as known from front axle assembly on a two axle road trailer.) The two axles are interconnected diagonally by wires for steering. One axle is allowed to rotate freely around the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, ensuring that all wheels have even ground contact at all time.
The patented drive train is completely protected and do not have any length- nor angular variations. By using two T-gears, power is transmitted down to the two axles as well as giving two PTOs when working as a stationary power source. The internal drive shaft can be driven by a variety of engine and gear solutions, particularly well suited for recycled engine/gearbox units from passenger cars. Prototypes are made with mechanical as well as hydrostatic drive.
Both Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (Empres) and World Bank (AFTEG and RTTP) have bought prototypes for field testing.
First Prize in World Bank contest Developing Marketplace 2006
The vehicle concept won a first prize in the World Bank contest Developing Marketplace 2006. There were 2500 entries from all over the world to the competition.
The proposal was a joint venture of Senior Economist Boris Utria, World Bank, Professor Vijay Modi, Millenium Village, Columbia University, New York, World Bank project PROGEDE, Senegal and Professor Herman Qvam, University for Life Sciences and Svein Olaf Lie, GreenTrac, Norway.