With customers keen to look at greener options for the more traditional compact tractor, the Farmtrac FT25G has received significant attention from around the world.
From the start, design engineers at Farmtrac were keen to ensure that this tractor would be as good, if not better than its diesel counterpart, while ensuring there are no downsides to its operation in the field.
So, in terms of its look and feel, the tractor from the outside looks very much the same as the diesel Farmtrac equivalent, as from the operator seat backwards, the two tractors are almost identical. But there are some key operational differences.
The FT25G has been well received in the market by customers from a wide range of applications. From the private homeowner to the fruit farmer, schools, indoor sports pitches and commercial users working in areas with strict emission standards, the FT25G truly has benefited a variety of people.
The benefits of going electric include:
- 72V battery pack has a maximum run time of around six hours and can be charged overnight using a domestic three pin socket for eight hours.
- Zero emissions. Motor runs on battery power in place of a combustion engine and produces no exhaust emissions.
- No additional charging infrastructure required meaning the tractor can be used straight away.
- Minimal noise and vibration meaning the operator can work for longer with less fatigue.
- Lower maintenance costs. Motor requires no maintenance, servicing is reserved for the transmission system only and regular greasing and costs are estimated to be at least 70 percent less than a diesel engine.
- High energy efficiency. In field tests customers report that the FT25G can significantly out perform a 25hp diesel tractor in heavy workload applications such as flail mowing and tilling soil.
Municipalities are keen to lower their carbon footprint and be seen as more sustainable. Lower fuel costs and quieter operation adds to the appeal, and it does all this while being able to do all the jobs a normal 25hp tractor would do.
Steven Haynes
tractor sales manager
Reesink
The FT25G does not require any additional charging infrastructure to operate. This means that you can buy a tractor and use it straight away, without first having to purchase and fit additional charging sockets. Although energy costs are on the rise, charging a tractor overnight is still significantly cheaper than filling up on diesel.
Run time is a key consideration and to aid with this the design engineers have added additional features to the tractor. These include having progressive switch settings for the hydraulic motor. On a diesel tractor, the hydraulic pump is directly connected to the engine and is always running, including when the tractor is stationary. This causes huge amounts of wasted energy, fuel and increased noise. Whereas on the FT25G, you choose services you want to run, and switch off those you don't. For instance, you can switch on the pump to provide oil flow directly to the steering system only, helping to minimise energy waste. Or, by the push of a button take this a step further and provide oil to both the steering and rear hydraulic systems. Most of the time, you will only require oil to the steering system, so by having the machine designed to be selectable, you can shut off unnecessary systems to cut down on energy being wasted through the constant running of the pumps.
In addition to this, on the transmission system there is a speed dial on the dash. This allows you to adjust the speed of the main drive motor to conserve energy and provide greater efficiencies. In some scenarios such as towing a trailer, you really don't need the motor to be running so fast, so dial back the speed and allow the transmission to work at a lower rpm. When you really need all the power that the tractor can offer, adjust the speed dial from the operator seat and provide maximum torque. These features can affect the run time of the tractor.
Another benefit of the electric vehicle is the instant torque provided by the tractor. Electric motors are very efficient in their use, and the power band used is much more usable through the range compared to a diesel engine. In field tests customers report that the electric FT25G can significantly out-perform a similar 25hp diesel tractor in heavy workload applications such as flail mowing, and tilling soil.
Productivity isn't compromised by going electric.
The final benefit is one that can't be overlooked, and this is running costs. The electric tractor has far fewer service items than a diesel tractor, with the electric motor requiring no maintenance at all.
Servicing is just reserved for the transmission system and regular greasing. Service costs are estimated to be at least 70 percent less than on a diesel engine. Meaning less cost and more run time.
Farmtrac continues to develop the electric tractor platform with recent introductions to include the use of a front loader option. This allows customers to use their tractors for moving soil and loading tractors, further enhancing the usability of the machine.
Further enhancements have been planned, with Farmtrac committed to developing the electric platform into the future.
