Electric driverless Deere tractor to reach Aussie shores by 2026

In a bold and ambitious move, John Deere has announced it will launch an autonomous battery-powered tractor in Australia in 2026.

John Deere Australia and New Zealand Production System Manager, Steph Gersekowski, made the announcement at the Hort Connections 2022 event in Brisbane and talked attendees through the technological ‘leap’ and its benefits to Australia’s primary producers.

“Machinery of this kind will create a monumental shift, not only for John Deere as a manufacturer, but also for Australian agriculture,” Gersekowski said.

“In less than four years, horticulture farmers will be able to leverage this intelligent and efficient equipment across their farms, creating what can genuinely be described as a significant step-change for high-value crop production.”

According to Gersekowski, electrification and autonomous equipment helps businesses reduce CO2 emissions, improve safety and bolster productivity; all outcomes which strongly align with John Deere’s overarching goal to deliver a fleet of intelligent and connected machines to help the industry become more sustainable, productive and efficient.

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She added John Deere had prioritised electric and autonomous research and development, working with both innovators and industry to deliver advancements.

“A trial with a prototype of the battery electric utility tractor will soon commence on Australian farms to extensively test the equipment under our nation’s unique farming conditions,” she said.

“Alongside the tractor, John Deere will also bring electric batteries and chargers to market to facilitate the new technology. We believe this move will create a mindset shift towards power and will prioritise the use of green energy on farms.”

John Deere’s electrification journey was accelerated in February, when the company acquired the majority ownership in Kreisel Electric, a global leader in high-density, high-durability battery modules and packs.

“Kreisel Electric’s proprietary technology is cutting-edge. It delivers differentiated battery technology and currently services a global customer base across multiple markets.

“The majority investment in Kreisel Electric will allow Deere to optimally integrate vehicle and powertrain designs around high-density battery packs, while leveraging Kreisel's charging technology to build out infrastructure required for farming adoption."

Gersekowski said autonomous tractors in the horticulture and ag industry just makes sense as they not only help to improve job quality and consistency, they can also help meet the industry’s labour challenges.

“Automation is also perfectly scalable, meaning farmers can rapidly scale up automation during pinch-point moments, like harvest or spraying, where labour may be scarce, and then just as easily scale down when they have less time constraints or greater access to skilled workers,” she said.

“The horticulture industry is primed to leap forward with this technology, as many farmers are already leveraging John Deere’s Digital Ecosystem to direct and monitor the flow of machinery across their farms.”

Gersekowski said John Deere customer research indicated high-value crop producers were eager to adopt electric machinery, with up to 70 per cent of horticulture farmers indicating they would like to purchase an electric option.

“Rather than a futuristic ideal, electrification has become today’s expectation,” she said.

“Australian agriculture, and in particular the horticulture sector, is facing immense challenges and opportunities in providing a growing worldwide population with food.

“Delivering autonomous and electrically powered tractors is among the solutions John Deere is providing farmers to harness Australian agriculture’s immense opportunities of meeting this increased global food demand.”

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