Blog

Jun 05, 2023

Electric tractors quicken development

When it comes to powering farm tractors, the diesel engine has long reigned supreme. And as any combustion engine hack will tell you, “there’s no replacement for displacement.” Well, that long-held

When it comes to powering farm tractors, the diesel engine has long reigned supreme. And as any combustion engine hack will tell you, “there’s no replacement for displacement.”

Well, that long-held belief might be changing — just a little bit. Just as cars, delivery vans, and heavy-duty trucks go electric, so are tractors — albeit at a slower pace.

Here’s a quick roundup of a few of latest developments in this electric evolution.

New Holland recently unveiled its T-4 electric tractor prototype which boosts up to 100 max horsepower. Commercial production is slated to begin before the end of 2023.

Let’s start with the latest entry from Case IH who recently unveiled its New Holland T4 Electric Powered tractor — a prototype which the company touted as the world’s first all-electric light utility tractor prototype with autonomous features.

Top line specs include 4-wheel-drive, compatibility with a broad range of PTO-driven implements, max speed of 40 km/h, and up to 120 horsepower — a power level that might capture the attention of a few Midwest farmers and ranchers.

“The T4 Electric Power is suited to mixed farm, livestock, municipality, orchard, and specialty applications. We know our customers are eager to adopt this type of product, so it makes perfect sense for us to continue our ag electrification journey with this platform,” explains Marc Kermisch, Chief Digital & Information Officer, CNH Industrial.

Compared to the conventional diesel model, the T4 Electric Power is more responsive and delivers greater traction control — with smoother shuttle and gear shifts, according to the company. New Holland also reported a 90% reduction in operating costs, thanks to lower fuel and maintenance costs.

And it’s quiet. Compared to a diesel-powered T-4, vibration and noise are greatly reduced, making it a good fit for municipal and commercial applications or nighttime operations. The quiet operation also ought to make this electric version appealing to cattle producers and dairies.

The tractor’s battery pack delivers up to a full day of operation and can be charged to 100 percent in an hour when using a commercially available fast-charge system. Best of all — the tractor doubles as a backup power generator for daily or emergency needs.

The New Holland electric prototype also comes with plenty of autonomous capabilities. The roof houses sensors and cameras, including a 360-degree perception system that detects and avoids obstacles. What’s more, the tractor can be activated and controlled — remotely — via a smartphone app.

Early entries in the race to electrify farm tractors has focused mainly on lower-horsepower utility tractors used in high-value specialty crops, and in areas where local credits and incentives are meant to spur adoption of the emissions-free technology.

Soletrac — an early pioneer in electric ag tractors — now offers two electric models: the e25 compact utility tractor and the new e70N. The e25 unit (also available with a backhoe) targets hobby farms, equine, and municipal markets and offers a base price of $27,999.

The e70N is equivalent to a 70-horsepower diesel tractor and was specially designed for narrow rows found in orchards and vineyards. The tractor offers four-wheel drive, 540 rpm PTO, and a base price of $74,999. It can work from 3 to 8 hours on a single charge, depending on load, and the battery can be charged in 8 to 10 hours using a 220-volt, 50 amp charging system.

To meet rising demand, Ideanomics — parent company of Soletrac — recently announced that it had added a new vehicle assembly line at its Windsor, California, facility, effectively tripling production.

“When Ideanomics acquired Solectrac, we committed to growing Solectrac’s production capacity and product offerings,” said Robin Mackie, Ideanomics Mobility president. “In less than one year, we increased production capacity by 300% and are now selling Solectrac tractors coast to coast across the United States through our rapidly expanding dealer showroom program.”

Another early entrant in the race to electrify tractors is Livermore, California-based Monarch Tractor which markets the 70 horsepower MK-V.

The MK-V offers a 240-volt, 80-amp lithium-ion battery pack that delivers up to 14-plus hours of runtime on a single charge (depending on load) — and 24-hour operation with the swappable battery. The battery can be charged in 5 to 8 hours with an 80-amp charger. The machine also offers a hitch-lift capacity of around 2,000 pounds and drawbar capacity of 7,700 pounds, allowing it to handle a wide range of spraying, hauling and tillage applications.

The MK-V also doubles as a portable generator which can power auxiliary lights, to run a welder, or other electric-powered tool or device.

The combination of government incentives, high diesel fuel costs and commitments to meeting carbon reduction goals will accelerate the growth of electric machinery in the off-road market, Monarch believes.

And what about the other major tractor makers?

The Fendt e100 Vario electric tractor is in the late stages of development and is expected to be available by 2025.

AGCO reports that its Fendt e100 Vario all-electric tractor is already in the advanced pilot stage and is targeted for commercial launch before 2025. It will be an especially strong entry in livestock, specialty crop, and municipal applications, AGCO said.

While Deere has been heavily focused on developing and marketing autonomous machines for it large-ag customers, it has a goal to deliver a battery-powered electric utility tractor to the ag market by 2026, according to its website.

While there are numerous technological challenges to producing an electrified contender to the conventional diesel-powered farm tractor — if Tesla and others can electrify a heavy-duty, over-the-road semi, can a 300-horsepower row-crop tractor be far behind?

Rick Haun has more than 35 years’ experience writing about ag and industrial equipment, much of that time with John Deere.

Daily Ag News and Market information from across the midwest.