John Deere Brings Electric Power to Agriculture Tractors

John Deere has announced its first lineup of electric-powered agriculture tractors. 

The first three E-Power tractors are being tested in three sizes, designed for work in vineyards, orchards, and dairies. These tractors are comparable to Deere’s 5 Series tractors, and offer about 130 hp, compared to their diesel-powered equivalents. 

Deere is building E-Power tractors from the ground up in the same way automotive companies design crossovers, according to Derek Muller, business manager for battery electric vehicle systems at John Deere. Creating a common platform for electric tractors allows the company to build models with different tire sizes, axle widths or even alternate fuel sources in the future. 

The rear of the tractor will look familiar to anyone who has used a Deere tractor in the past. It is fitted with the common three-point hitch and hydraulic connections, and is compatible with the same implements a 130-hp tractor could pull. 

With significantly fewer mechanical parts than a diesel tractor, the E-Power models are designed to require less maintenance. The E-Power will require a 2,000-hour hydraulic oil change, the air filter in the cab, and daily walkaround inspections — and that’s it. 

Driving Experience

To accommodate farmers facing skilled-labor shortages, John Deere has designed the E-Power tractors to be more intuitive and require less training to operate. The cabs are largely similar to diesel tractors, with a key difference: The E-Power tractors have removed the clutch pedal, making operation of the tractor no more difficult than driving a golf cart. 

Taking a test drive in the E-Power tractor, it is very easy to use, and runs quietly. Once the transmission is engaged to forward or reverse, it quickly accelerates to full speed, and can maintain its speed with a cruise control function — similar to an automatic transmission car. The electric engine is very quiet, with a barely noticeable, high-pitched hum when it’s running.

All of the E-Power tractors are also built to be autonomy-ready, compatible with John Deere’s next generation autonomous system revealed earlier this year. 

Batteries and Charging

The John Deere E-Power tractors are built to hold up to five batteries, and run on Kreisel Electric batteries. Deere acquired a majority stake in Kreisel in early 2022, and has used that investment to increase battery production and improve technology. Each battery has liquid immersion cooling for active thermal management. This allows the tractor to operate in hot or cold weather because the batteries are kept at a consistent temperature. This also enables faster battery charging without impacting the battery’s lifespan or volatility. 

With liquid immersion cooling protecting the batteries, they are designed to last the entire lifespan of the tractor, and the farmer won’t need to replace them. The tractors and batteries are still in the prototype phase, with more testing this summer to correlate with John Deere’s virtual models.

Due to the increased weight of batteries compared to diesel engine counterparts, the tractors are modular and allow farmers to remove batteries as needed. 

“Having batteries where it’s a little bit heavier than unballasted diesel tractors means we don’t have to put as much cast iron weight on the tractor,” Muller said. 

While the batteries can be added and removed, it does require time and tools, and farmers are not able to swap them out on the fly. 

The tractors have a common charging port, and are compatible with any standard electric vehicle charger. The E-Power tractors are still in the prototype stage and charging time will vary based on battery configuration and charging. The ultimate goal with the E-Power tractors is for the battery to power the tractor all morning, complete recharging within the farmer’s “lunch-break” window, and get back to work in the afternoon.   

Deere provided some early estimates for charging times based on charger kilowatt level. For charging from 20%–80% battery:

• 5.5 hours at 19.2 kWh 
• 1.75 hours at 60 kWh
• 1 hour at 100 kWh
• 0.8 hours at 130 kWh

Farmers will be able to monitor the E-Power tractors through John Deere Operations Center, with vehicle health information, including remaining charge time. 

Availability

The three John Deere E-Power electric tractors are still in the prototype stage, with more testing to come later this year. John Deere plans to have autonomous, battery electric tractors with customers by 2026.

Deere will continue offering a full portfolio of diesel-powered tractors, with the E-Power options complimenting the lineup in the future, allowing farmers to choose what best fits their operation.