New Holland launches the first tractor powered by biomethane at the Coopavel Rural Show

New Holland Agriculture, a CNH Industrial brand, launches in Brazil, during the Show Rural Coopavel, which takes place from February 7th to 11th, in Cascavel (PR), the world's first tractor powered by methane gas. The T6 Methane model Power, produced in Basildon, England, arrives via import and will be available available to the brand's customers across the country.

“It is with great pride that we present to farmers and ranchers Brazilians this new technology, which reinforces our leadership in the development of alternative fuels, which are more environmentally friendly and that deliver the same energy and operational efficiency as a conventional tractor, in addition to having a better cost-benefit ratio for the rural producer”, highlights Rafael Miotto, vice president of New Holland Agriculture for America Latin.

The biomethane tractor opens a new segment of agricultural machinery, due to its innovation in the use of alternative and more environmentally friendly fuels. It had been tested in Brazil since 2017, as a prototype, with excellent results. Recently, the T6 Methane Power was elected Sustainable Tractor of the Year 2022 during EIMA Internacional, a world fair that showcases new products in agricultural machinery, which took place in October 2021 in Bologna, Italy.

“This type of tractor gives rural producers the possibility of using biogas generated within the property (from animal waste, for example example) to supply the equipment, taking advantage of the so-called virtuous cycle of farm, which becomes increasingly self-sufficient from the point of view energetic and environmentally friendly. And as an extra, there is a reduction in your operational costs and peace of mind in managing your activities, as it becomes self-sufficient in production and use of fuel, remaining free of all the uncertainties in the fossil fuel market”, says Cláudio Calaça Júnior, Director of Product Marketing at New Holland Agriculture for Latin America.

80% reduction in emissions

Biomethane propulsion technology offers numerous advantages environmental impacts, including reducing emissions by up to 80% compared to a standard diesel engine. When using biomethane, the carbon footprint of the machine is virtually zero, and a cost reduction of between 25% and 40% can be achieved when compared to conventional fuels.

Equipped with a 100% natural gas FPT electronic engine, the T6 Methane Power It has a 16 x 16 Semi Powershift transmission, which guarantees excellent gear scaling and greater agility during work. Furthermore, the tractor has a one-piece front axle and cab suspension, providing greater internal comfort. The cabin offers 360º vision and together with LED lights guarantees the quality of operations, even at night.

The tractor is also equipped with the most modern telemetry technology and New Holland digital agriculture. It comes standard with the integrated IntelliSteer guidance, which provides complete steering control of the machine at the touch of a button. It also has the ISOBUS class 2 system, which brings information directly to the tractor monitor and Intelliturn, which automatically guarantees headland maneuvers. Furthermore, T6 Methane Power is connected to MYPLMCONNECT, New York's official telemetry portal Holland to fully control the connection between fleet, farm and data agronomic in all types and sizes of properties.

Investment in innovation

New Holland Agriculture is known as a brand that invests constantly innovating, adopting a culture that focuses on development of solutions aligned with megatrends involving agribusiness, such as digitalization, servitization, automation and alternative fuels, but always focusing on the end customer.

“As a brand, we seek to deliver the ideal solution to customer needs, regardless of the size of the agricultural operation. We constantly invest in new technologies so that the producer can extract greater productivity and at the same time at the same time reduce costs, in addition to practicing more sustainable agriculture. But we also want these solutions to be easy to use, user-friendly and aligned with what he is looking for. That's why we are known as a brand simple, easy to contact and close to farmers”, says Gustavo Taniguchi, director of Commercial Marketing at New Holland Agriculture for Latin America.

Environmental goals

Since 2006, when New Holland launched its strategy of Leader in Clean Energy, followed by the launch in 2013 of the first methane-powered T6 series tractor prototype, the brand has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to meeting its environmental goals and contributing to the CO2 reduction. First introduced in 2017 and officially launched two years later, the T6.180 Methane Power features a redesigned FPT NEF engine six-cylinder, producing 175 hp like its diesel equivalent. The injectors gas pump and spark plugs replace the diesel injector, with the gas injected in each cylinder for constant, clean and maximized combustion.

Compared to the limits allowed by the rules of EU Stage V emissions, the carbon monoxide emissions of the T6.180 powered by methane are 80% lower, while the level of hydrocarbons is not methane is reduced by 90%. Particulate materials decreased by 98%, oxide nitrous 62% and CO2, 11%. However, T6.180 Methane Power has the same maximum power of 175 hp than its conventional cousin and produces maximum torque of 740 Nm. Operating costs are up to 30% lower, and with less vibration.

In other aspects, the tractor resembles its diesel-powered equivalent, but the main change is the replacement of fuel tanks by a combination of ten tanks arranged around the center of the chassis. The front-mounted 'range extender' unit can be replaced with a front hydraulic lifter and PTO if necessary or removed for loader work. With 453 liters of gas capacity, equivalent to 79 kgs, the tractor has enough fuel for around eight hours of road transport or PTO work, reaching 14 hours to operate something like a cattle feeder.

According to Bruno Belorini, Marketing Manager of A product of New Holland Agriculture (exclusive video interview below), the biomethane-powered tractor will surprise customers customers for its power and torque similar to a diesel tractor. O Refueling is also simple and much like that of a car or truck powered by CNG.

“The advantage of methane gas as a fuel is that it can create a circular energy system. When burned in circumstances controlled in an engine like the T6.180 Methane Power, the by-products are carbon dioxide and water. When you consider the CO2 released in creating the fuel, not only does our customer benefit from the 11% CO2 reduction in exhaust pipe, but can also benefit from the fuel source”, says Belorini.

According to him, when using methane produced from a biogas plant with a mixture of waste, customers can obtain carbon neutral, but when methane is collected directly from a waste lagoon, not only are methane emissions prevented from escaping into the atmosphere when it is being used instead of a fossil fuel, providing a benefit double in CO2 savings.

In this sense, farms that operate with biomethane can become not only producers of food, but also sources of fuel, and gas-powered tractors are the facilitators of this circular process. Waste products such as livestock manure can become valuable sources of fuel. In addition to being cleaner to handle when refueling and during combustion in the engine, methane is a readily available fuel, which allows that rural producers start reducing their CO2 footprint immediately.

Chronology of the search for clean energy solutions

2006 – New Holland Agriculture was the first manufacturer to offer 100% compatibility with biodiesel;

2009 – the brand developed the first tractor concept hydrogen fuel cell in the world, NH2, offering the viability of its technology zero emissions for the future. This was a key element of the concept Energy Independent Farm, released at the same time;

2012 – within this line of offering reduction projects emissions, New Holland created its first prototype tractor powered by propane and is now developing a T6 that can be fueled with propane, in partnership with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC);

2013 – the brand presented the first prototype of the tractor T6 powered by methane. The methane-powered concept tractor created a vital link in the virtuous cycle that provides CO2-neutral production, in which the farm produces the energy it needs to carry out its operations, heat agricultural facilities and making their equipment work;

2017 – the biomethane tractor begins to be tested in Brazil and In other countries;

2019 – after a period of testing and validation, the tractor is finally launched worldwide as a product and presented at the Agritechnica fair, in Germany, as a piece fundamental to the brand’s “Independent Energy Farm” concept;

2021 – the equipment begins to be produced at the factory Basildon, England;

2022 – the tractor is launched in Brazil (via import).