ROME – Increasing productivity in a sustainable way today has also become a mission for many companies operating in the industrial sectors linked to agriculture. For example CNH Industrial, leader in the field of machinery and services, which presented the T4 Electric Power with its affiliated brand New Holland Agricolture. In other words, the first fully electric light utility tractor with autonomous characteristics. In an interview with Republic the CEO Scott Wine reiterated how such means can lead not only to decarbonisation but also to greater efficiency in the agricultural sector.
So let’s see, starting from the CNH Industrial model, some of the green tractors that can also make the way in which they are harvested from wheat to champagne grapes more ecological, even using artificial intelligence.
Developed by a team of experts in the United States (Burr Ridge, Detroit) and Italy (Modena), the New Holland T4 Electric Power it is the ideal solution for low power operations, suitable for mixed farms, ranches, municipalities, orchards and special applications. It uses a 120 HP and 400 Nm electric motor and is capable of traveling at speeds of up to 40 km/h. The battery pack guarantees a full day of operation and it takes only an hour to reach 100% charge using rapid wallboxes. On the vehicle, which also acts as an energy generator, there are several electrical sockets that support activities such as welding and drilling and traditional mechanical, hydraulic and Power Take Off tools can also be used.
However, what makes this tractor a world first are its autonomous characteristics. In fact, the roof houses sensors, cameras and control units that enable its advanced functions. Farmers can remotely activate the tractor via a smartphone app. Shadow Follow Me mode also allows machines to be synchronized to work together and a 360 degree perception system detects and avoids obstacles, whilst a dedicated function ensures the tractor can remotely link seamlessly to the required attachment.
Again, New Holland Agriculture has also just presented the pre-series prototype T7 Methane Power LNG. Less similar to a spaceship than the T4 Electric Power, but just as “green” in its soul, it is a tractor powered by liquefied natural gas. “Fuels such as biomethane guarantee greater power performance, a reduction in emissions and a reduction in operating costs”, explain the designers. “The T7 Methane Power LNG will double the range compared to a compressed natural gas vehicle, while increasing the overall sustainability of the farm, and with 270hp it delivers the same power and torque as a diesel vehicle”.
Another example of a green tractor is the girdle, created by the French of VitiBot to harvest grapes in the champagne lands. It uses a brushless electric motor powered by an 80 kWh battery pack which guarantees 10 to 12 hours of autonomy. Governed by artificial intelligence, it analyzes the environment in which it operates thanks to 8 sensors and a video camera that even allow it to detect the ripening status of the crop on its own. A similar operation can also be performed by the zero-emission X tractor from the Japanese Kubota, designed to operate in rice fields and in all crops on different slopes. “It represents the future of agriculture”, they say from the company. It combines a tracked structure with stable autonomous driving and can monitor various factors. It sows and works the land, makes decisions and shares environmental data with other machines to plan activities.