New Holland unveils methane powered tractor

A revolutionary tractor concept which uses methane as fuel has been revealed by New Holland at the 2017 Farm Progress show in Illinois, USA, this week.

It is part of New Holland’s product development program towards a sustainable farming future, in which the company envisages farms to be fully self-sufficient energy-wise, being able to produce not only food but also the biomass it needs to generate enough energy to operate the farm as well as power its tractors and other machinery.

The methane tractor prototype builds on the original concept New Holland presented in 2013 – a T6 methane powered tractor, but with further refinements following a series of real word testing.

The new concept model now features a powertrain that uses an efficient combustion technology specifically developed for agricultural applications by FPT Industrial. The six-cylinder NEF methane engine delivers 180hp and 740 Nm: the same power and torque as a standard diesel equivalent.

While it also has the same durability and service intervals as its diesel counterpart, the powertrain will generate up to 30 per cent in running cost savings, New Holland says.

In addition, the powertrain is also much quieter, with engine noise level reduced by up to 3dBA. This translates to around 50 per cent reduction in drive-by noise, making it ideal for municipality, yard and transport operations.

Sustainability is the key

Following real world tests, New Holland found the methane powered concept tractor produces at least 10 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions and reduces overall emissions by 80 per cent compared to a standard diesel tractor.

As it uses biomethane as fuel, which is produced from crop residues, food scraps, animal waste and more, it helps to significantly eliminate waste on-farm.

The idea is that future energy independent farms will have the space and material to run its own biodigester to produce enough methane gas to power the farm and its machinery.

The biodigester is fed with specifically grown energy crops, animal waste, food waste or crop residues. It can also use waste collected from food factories, supermarkets and restaurants in addition to materials gathered at the farm.

The biogas produced in the biodigester is transferred to a refining station where it is transformed into fuel-grade methane to power the farm’s vehicles and machinery. The methane can also be used to fuel a generator to produce electricity that can be used on the farm with any extra fed into the electricity grid to power local communities.

The by-products of biodigestion can be used as natural fertilisers on the farm’s fields.

Brand new tractor design

To fit this concept, CNH Industrial’s design team has given the tractor a sleek new look, taking inspiration from automotive design, to create a fully integrated body look while accentuating iconic New Holland style elements such as the aggressive hood air intake gills and lights. They have also created strong brand designs such as the unique leaf-shaped seat and signature lights.

Wrap-around glazing and a floating glass domed roof offers unobstructed views all round.

Inside the cab, all essential controls are placed on the integrated armrest and additional parameters controlled through an interactive headliner display.

The fixed hub steering wheel-mounted display cluster moves with the steering wheel when it is raised or lowered to accommodate for the size of the operator to ensure optimum visibility of the display at all times.