Last month, CNH Industrial, parent company of Case IH and New Holland, announced the pending introduction of the ag equipment industry’s first battery electric, fully autonomous tractor.
A prototype version of it was on display for the first time at a media day in Phoenix, Ariz., in early December. It wore New Holland blue and had the designation T4 Electric Power. But executives said when it sees commercial release around the end of 2023, it will be available in either NH or Case IH livery.
“The T4 Electric Power is the ideal solution for lower-horsepower operations,” said Marc Kermisch, chief digital and information officer at CNH Industrial. “It is suited to mixed farm, livestock, municipality, orchard and specialty applications. We know our customers are eager to adopt this type of product, so it makes perfect sense for us to continue our ag electrification journey with this platform.”
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CNH plans for “more than 15 new tractor launches, 10 combine launches, 19 crop production launches and over 30 precision technology releases between now and the end of 2027.”
In March of 2021, CNH announced it had completed a minority investment deal in Monarch Tractor, a California-based startup that was building a lower-horsepower, battery electric, autonomous tractor on its own. According to CNH executives, the new T4 Electric Power is a direct result of a collaborative R&D effort between CNH and Monarch.
Monarch’s newest tractor model, the MK-V, also had a presence at the reveal of the T4.
“The debut of the T4 Electric Power, a world first in this segment, marks the first product reveal to come out of the multi-year licensing agreement announced between Monarch Tractor and CNH Industrial in November 2021,” states a Monarch press release. “Alongside the T4 Electric Power, Monarch also debuted its MK-V tractor, which launched earlier this month (Dec. 5, 2022).”
“It’s an exciting year for Monarch Tractor as we rapidly expand the offerings available to farmers in various industries,” said Praveen Penmetsa, CEO of Monarch Tractor. “The work we’ve been doing with CNH Industrial has been remarkable and we’re proud of the role we have played in the development of the T4 Electric Power utility tractor. We’re very committed to providing technological innovations and sustainable solutions, and this tractor is doing just that.”
The licensing agreement Monarch refers to is for what it describes as the “scalable, modular electrification platform focusing on low-horsepower tractors to be co-developed across multiple product families.”
Monarch’s MK-V advertises a 40-horsepower rating with peak output of 70 horsepower. The T4 has significantly more muscle, with a peak horsepower rating of 120 and 325 pound-feet of available torque. It has a top road speed of 40 km/h and four-wheel drive. It can power typical PTO or hydraulically driven implements.
CNH says the T4 has enough battery capacity to run for a full workday “depending on the mission profile.” And it can fully recharge in just one hour at a commercially available fast-charging station. The T4 can also be used to provide power in place of a generator to run electric devices such as tools or a welder, or even supply backup electricity in the event of a power failure.
Mounted on the roof of the tractor are sensors and cameras that allow the T4 to “see” when operating autonomously. Farmers can remotely activate the tractor using a smartphone app, and “Shadow Follow Me” mode lets operators sync multiple machines to work together. Off-board digital services let farmers run the tractor from anywhere, at any time, while monitoring its performance and battery level.
The telematics and auto guidance Fleet Management system lets a farm manager assign tasks to each piece of equipment. Implement recognition ensures the tractor seamlessly links up with the required attachment.
“Our vision for a net zero future includes electrified vehicle technology that represents the next step in the company’s decarbonization strategies,” said Mario de Amicis, head of electrification portfolio management at CNH. “We don’t just consider electrification as an alternative. It’s a means to improve the performance, efficiency and sustainability of internal combustion engines.”
