New Holland’s methane-powered concept tractor has been announced as the winner of a prestigious design award.
An international jury panel comprised of design professionals, journalists and critics, awarded the Good Design Award to the agricultural vehicle on behalf of the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, following submissions from manufacturers from over 47 countries.
The concept tractor features a powertrain relying on efficient combustion technology specifically developed for agriculture applications by FPT Industrial, a brand of CNH Industrial that has pioneered natural gas traction for more than 20 years. The 6-cylinder NEF methane engine delivers the same power and torque as its standard diesel equivalent, together with up to 30% running-cost savings and around 50% reduction in drive-by noise.
In real field conditions, the vehicle produces at least 10% lower CO₂ emissions and reduces overall emissions by 80% compared with diesel counterparts. Its environmental performance further improves when fueled by biomethane produced from crop residues and waste from farm-grown energy crops, which results in virtually zero CO₂ emissions.
New Holland brand president Carlo Lambro said, “The methane-powered concept tractor pushes the boundaries of alternative fuel and agriculture technologies to deliver a cutting-edge solution for sustainable and efficient farming.”
The tractor will now appear in the Good Design Yearbook for 2018/19.
Interested in powertrain technologies? Check out the Powertrain Technology Conference, which takes place during iVT Expo. Both the conference and iVT Expo take place on February 13-14, 2019 in Cologne, Germany.
