ELECTRIC AGRICULTURE
iVTInternational.com November 2019 45
tractor to powered implement
remaining a weak link in tractor
design, the potential to replace
high-pressure hydraulic hoses
and fast-spinning mechanical
PTO shafts with electric power is
another potential development area,
with the Agricultural Industry
Electronics Foundation (AEF)
having dedicated a research team to
developing a standard tractorimplement
interface.
Handling developments
With materials handlers often used
in packhouses, grain stores and
livestock buildings, the noise and
emissions benefits of electric power
are arguably gaining faster
acceptance in this sector. Among
those to have already brought
a model to market is Italian
telescopic handler manufacturer
Faresin, which unveiled its first full
electric-drive telehandler at EIMA
2018 and Bauma 2019. The firm’s
marketing manager Mattia Benetti
says the machine can work where
any standard model would, on
prepared or rough terrain, but is
especially targeted at use in closed
environments and around livestock.
“We’ve retained a conventional
layout and design, with unchanged
dimensions and capacities from the
diesel-powered version on which the
6.26 full electric is based,” explains
Benetti. “This provides 2,600kg
maximum lift capacity and 5.9m
maximum lift height, plus
maximum forward reach of 3.1m, at
which maximum load capacity is
900kg. The hydrostatic transmission
makes way for an electric induction
motor mounted directly on the front
axle to minimise mechanical energy
losses and help the machine attain
the acceleration necessary to achieve
good climbing ability.”
The top speed is 15km/h. In the
cab, eco and power modes are
selectable. In eco, maximum
autonomy can be attained via the
smoothest possible control of the
motors and intelligent control of the
lithium battery. In power mode the
system extracts maximum power
from the motors and enables
performances similar to those of
the standard diesel model.
“A second independent electric
motor in the rear of the chassis
drives a pump which powers the
boom and steering,” says Benetti.
“A low-noise unit activates only
as needed. This pump helps increase
efficiency and the autonomy of
the battery.”
The standard 300Ah lithium-ion
battery provides an average six
hours’ typical usage, while a highcapacity
400Ah version extends this
ABOVE: The Farmtrac 26E
electric compact tractor on
show at EIMA 2018
BELOW: The full electric
version of Faresin’s 6.26
telehandler attracted a great
deal of attention when it was
first unveiled, also at
EIMA 2018
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
Beyond the mainstream global tractor
makers and their focus on larger
machines, domestic manufacturers in
some of the world’s largest tractor
markets such as India’s Escorts, and
niche firms in Europe – Swiss
municipal specialist Rigitrac, for
example – are also well along the
electric tractor development path,
but are focusing primarily on
machines for smaller-scale or
particular enterprises.
At EIMA 2018, Farmtrac Europe,
part of Escorts, which also has
European tractor production facilities
in Poland, unveiled its Farmtrac 26E
concept. A compact tractor designed
for work in small-scale horticulture,
agriculture and grounds care, the 26E
uses lithium-ion batteries sited in
place of the engine to store and
distribute energy to a 19kW (25.5hp)
electric motor. From here, power is
transferred to a simple constant
mesh transmission. The battery
charging unit is sited behind the
operator’s seat.
One of the biggest design
challenges, given the scale and
dimensions of the tractor when
compared with a conventionally sized
farm model, was accommodating
sufficient batteries to meet power and
capacity demands. However,
Farmtrac says that, with the tractor
performing light to medium-duty
tasks, working time is approximately
six hours. It anticipates that as
battery development continues, this
should double by the point the tractor
is ready for commercial production in
two years’ time.
/iVTInternational.com
