A Tractor Specially Designed To Run On Paddy Stubble As Fuel

CNH Industrial unveiled the industry's first electric and methane LNG tractor earlier this month at its Tech Day event in Arizona. CNH executives revealed that the company intends to power the methane LNG tractor with crop stubble, which could be a game changer in India, where paddy stubble burning has been wreaking havoc on the environment.

The New Holland T4 Electric Power Utility Tractor is a trailblazer in reducing carbon footprint in agriculture, as well as signaling a shift toward electrification and alternative fuels.

A methane LNG prototype project is already operational at a farm in the United Kingdom. While CNH executives hinted at the crop stubble-burning method for producing methane in India, they remained tight-lipped about the specific plans and how far the company had progressed in realizing them. However, it appears that the CNH team in India has already begun work in this area.

Alternative fuels and electrification are a priority for CNH Industrial, according to Scott Wine, Chief Executive Officer. "We have made significant investments in India. We have a large office in Gurugram, where we focus not only on global solutions but also on Indian markets."  Following him, Parag Jain, Chief Digital Product Officer at CNH Industrial said, "We are opening new plants, and the market is fantastic."

Derek Nielsen, President, of Agriculture, commented on prospects in Indian markets through innovative products, saying that the adoption of innovation in the Indian market is a priority for the company. "In India, a nation where technology adoption is expanding quickly, our western-style combine harvester was the first to be sold there. We've been there for many decades with our New Holland brand, and you'll see technology adoption very soon," he said.

The electric prototype on display in Arizona is the result of collaboration between CNH experts in the United States and Italy and Monarch Tractor, a US-based agriculture equipment company that specializes in disruptive technology.

According to Mark Kermisch, CNH Industrial's Chief Digital and Information Officer, the T4 is an ideal tractor for lower horsepower operations and is well suited to the orchard, livestock, municipality, and other operations.

The tractor's drive train is fully electrified, with a 75hp continuous duty motor with peak power up to 120hp, 184 ibf-ft continuous torque, four-wheel drive, and a top speed of 25 miles per hour. According to CNH executives, the tractor has an eight-hour run time depending on the mission profile and can be recharged from 10% to 80% in less than an hour using DC fast charging.

Because it has electrical outlets, it can also be used as a portable generator wherever power is needed. The T4 is said to have 90% less noise and vibrations than an equivalent diesel tractor, as well as a 360-degree view of the vehicle via onboard cameras and a suite of partial autonomy and driver, assist features.

CNH Industrial also displayed a New Holland T6 Methane Power LNG Prototype Tractor, which is claimed to be the first Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) pre-production prototype tractor.

The tractor is outfitted with cutting-edge technology for cryogenic low-pressure tanks and can run for eight hours. When compared to fossil fuels, it emits 98% less particulate matter and 98% less CO2. According to the company's estimates, it emits 11% less CO2 when using fossil natural gas, 80% less when using biomethane from waste, and 180% less when using fugitive methane.

Also Read:- 

New Holland Unveils All-Electric, Self-Drive Tractor

New Holland Displayed Its Advanced Farm Machinery At Pune KISAN Agri Show 2022