CNH Industrial believes the completion of its minority investment in North American startup Monarch Tractor will accelerate the transformation towards more autonomy and electrification.
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in California, Monarch Tractors launched its first fully electric compact tractor last December.
Capable of operating autonomously, the 40hp (30kW) of continuous power (up to 10 hours) and short peak output of 70hp (55kW) provided by the 9fx3r electric transmission will not excite power hungry farms, but it does show one direction the industry could take at the lower end of the power scale.
The 220v charging system takes 4-5 hours. Alternatively, it is said to be a 10-minute job for one person to swap an empty battery for a full one (extra battery costs around US$15,000).
Safety features include roll and collision prevention, vision-based PTO safety and 360-degree cameras and guard rails. Sensors and imaging provides data that can be used for real-time implement adjustments as well as long term yield estimates, current growth stages and other plant/crop health issues.
Lift capacity of the Cat I/II rear linkage is 1.0t and the 3.5m long tractor comes with a 60l/min hydraulic system and 540rpm (40hp/30kW) PTO. 4wd is optional.
North American prices of the electric tractor start from $50,000 (includes driverless mode). The first deliveries are expected this autumn.
