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Future Of Tractor Power: Diesel-Electric Hybrids

Farm equipment manufacturers continue to look at electricity as a way to power tractors and other farm vehicles. These diesel-electric hybrids still use the traditional diesel engine to generate power. But electric motors work in place of a standard transmission to transfer power to the ground.

Marlin Onnen with the John Deere Product Engineering Center and author of the article "Coming soon: Electric tractors" published in Resource magazine, cites four state-of-the-art electrified platforms being used today. These include the John Deere 7030 Series E-Premium tractors, the AGCO RoGator E sprayer, the Belarus Tractor International 3023 tractor, and the Rauch EDR fertilizer spreader. Preliminary testing of the vehicles has shown a fuel savings as high as 25% over traditional diesel-powered vehicles.

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Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner