Automotive

Fendt to launch e100 Vario battery-electric compact tractor in 2018

Fendt to launch e100 Vario battery-electric compact tractor in 2018
The Fendt e100 Vario offers a low-maintenance, energy-efficient, quiet and emissions-free compact tractor that is more cost-efficient to run than petrol- or diesel-powered tractors.
The Fendt e100 Vario offers a low-maintenance, energy-efficient, quiet and emissions-free compact tractor that is more cost-efficient to run than petrol- or diesel-powered tractors.
View 9 Images
The Fendt e100 Vario offers a low-maintenance, energy-efficient, quiet and emissions-free compact tractor that is more cost-efficient to run than petrol- or diesel-powered tractors.
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The Fendt e100 Vario offers a low-maintenance, energy-efficient, quiet and emissions-free compact tractor that is more cost-efficient to run than petrol- or diesel-powered tractors.
Though the e100 Vario only has a maximum power output of 68 hp (50 kW), maximum torque is available at the right end of the rev range, and the controllability of that power is considerably better too.
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Though the e100 Vario only has a maximum power output of 68 hp (50 kW), maximum torque is available at the right end of the rev range, and the controllability of that power is considerably better too.
The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
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The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
The controls of the e100 Vario
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The controls of the e100 Vario
The e100 Vario runs a 650 V lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 100 kWh, which can be recharged up to 80 percent in just 40 minutes using a standard IEC 62196 Type 2 connector. The connector is under consideration to become the standard in the United States too.
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The e100 Vario runs a 650 V lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 100 kWh, which can be recharged up to 80 percent in just 40 minutes using a standard IEC 62196 Type 2 connector. The connector is under consideration to become the standard in the United States too.
The Fendt e100 Vario will offer many benefits over conventional tractors.
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The Fendt e100 Vario will offer many benefits over conventional tractors.
The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
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The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
The Fendt e100 Vario reduces both maintenance and costs, as the number of components have been reduced and items such as oil, oil filters, AdBlue and fuel are no longer needed.
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The Fendt e100 Vario reduces both maintenance and costs, as the number of components have been reduced and items such as oil, oil filters, AdBlue and fuel are no longer needed.
The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
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The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
View gallery - 9 images

The inevitable move towards the electrification of the farm gained further momentum this week when German agricultural machinery manufacturer Fendt announced the launch its new battery-electric compact tractor in 2018.

Shown at Agritechnica in Hanover for the first time, the e100 Vario is a battery-electric compact tractor with an output of 68 hp (50 kW) and five hours of operation per charge.

The e100 Vario runs a 650 V lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 100 kWh, which can be recharged up to 80 percent in 40 minutes using an IEC 62196 Type 2 connector, which is the standard for charging electric cars in Europe (and perhaps in America too in the near future). Alternatively, the battery can be charged with 400 V and up to 22 kW using a standard CEE outdoor socket.

The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.
The e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.

Fendt says the e100 Vario is fully compatible with existing hydraulic implements and it also has two AEF-compliant power interfaces for electrical equipment, with a short-term boost available of up to 150 kW.

Air conditioning of the tractor's cab (and the battery and electronics) is achieved with an energy-efficient, regulated, electrical heat pump and because the e100 Vario connects with a smartphone, the cab temperature can be warmed or cooled in advance and charging status can be monitored remotely.

Fendt claims the e100 Vario significantly reduces both running and maintenance costs and unlike petrol- and diesel-powered tractors, the battery-powered e100 Vario can be operated extremely cost-efficiently, with a net zero carbon footprint if the farm has its own power generation facilities using biogas, solar or wind power. As the e100 Vario has such a large battery capacity, it can also be used to store excess power and feed it back into the grid.

The Fendt e100 Vario reduces both maintenance and costs, as the number of components have been reduced and items such as oil, oil filters, AdBlue and fuel are no longer needed.
The Fendt e100 Vario reduces both maintenance and costs, as the number of components have been reduced and items such as oil, oil filters, AdBlue and fuel are no longer needed.

As with John Deere's electric tractor shown last year, the Fendt e100 Vario will probably not be generally available until 2019, as it will available in only limited numbers to selected companies and municipalities in 2018.

Source: Fendt

View gallery - 9 images
4 comments
4 comments
Hasler
Five hours of operation on new batteries. Unfortunately lithium batteries have a finite life, typically of under 1,000 recharge cycles. This means the battery capacity decreases each time it is recharged. So after just 500 cycles, which is not long for an essential farm tool, operation would be down to just 2½ hours. Even if these used batteries could be sold for power storage, how much will new batteries cost? Has this depreciation been taken into account in the claims of lower running costs?
Gizmowiz
Everything that moves will be 100% electric within 20 years. Other companies have no choice but to follow suit.
Paul Smith
Hasler, lithium batteries are not dead after 1000 cycles. That is when they are expected to have lost enough life to warrant changing them In fact a Tesla recently reached 300,000 miles of use and was found to have lost 9% of battery life. That means that after likely 7 years of normal use this tractor would be down to 4.5 hours of usable battery charge. Keep in mind also that the way batteries have been dropping in price and increasing in durability, that replacing the batteries will be much cheaper than today and will will give you a tractor that is better than new.
swaan
Neat. 80% in 40 minutes suggest over 50kW peak charging. I understand this is more of an experiment but you can't make really compelling EVs unless you go all in like Tesla - you have to redesign them from the ground up! That 100kwh could have been designed to fit inside the frame and the motor or motors between the axles.