Electric tractors are tractors powered by electric vehicle batteries (sometimes called Battery Electric Tractors or BET), or in the case of plug-ins, by an electric power cable.
Advantages
Electric tractors offer several advantages over diesel tractors. An
electric motor needs less maintenance than a diesel motor, which has hundreds of moving parts. Electric motors produce maximum
torque instantaneously and do not require a manual gearbox to balance torque with speed. They can be powered by household electricity, offering cost savings over
diesel fuel. Greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at 53 tons per year for a typical diesel tractor, are drastically reduced.
Additionally, electric tractors require less periodic maintenance as they do not contain
Motor oil or
Hydraulic fluid. A significant downside to electric tractors is the time it takes to recharge the battery compared to refueling with diesel.
Manufacturers
Electric tractors are manufactured by a German company,
Fendt, and by US companies,
Solectrac and Monarch Tractor.
John Deere's protoype electric tractor is a plug-in, powered by an electrical cable.
Kubota produces the LXe line of compact electric tractors and is prototyping an autonomous electric tractor.
New Holland launched their T4 Electric Power Tractor, first showcased in 2023.
Case IH announced their Farmall Utility 75C electric tractor.
See also
-
Climate-smart agriculture
-
Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
External links
