Former Volkswagen Group Ceo Herbert Diess has founded the start-up Diess E-Agrartechnik with the aim of developing compact battery-electric agricultural tractors featuring easily swappable battery packs
Although battery-electric vehicles have yet to deliver the expected commercial returns in the automotive sector and agricultural machinery has so far seen more disappointments than successes, some innovators continue to believe in the technology and are working to overcome its two main limitations: limited operating autonomy and lengthy charging times.
The latest entrant is Diess E-Agrartechnik, a start-up established in Munich by former Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess. The company’s objective is to develop compact electric tractors capable of matching the performance and operating range of conventional diesel machines while reducing operating costs by as much as 50%.
Although technical details remain confidential, the project is based on a swappable battery system that will allow depleted battery packs to be exchanged quickly for fully recharged units. While one battery pack powers the tractor in the field, replacement batteries can be recharged using energy generated on the farm, either through photovoltaic systems or biogas-powered generator sets.
The concept therefore creates an integrated energy ecosystem designed to minimise dependence on diesel fuel while protecting farms from fluctuations in fossil fuel prices.
The tractors are expected to feature enclosed cabs, offer reversible driving positions and remain fully compatible with existing agricultural implements and operating systems. They will also be capable of powering electrically driven implements directly, expanding the range of equipment that can be used without auxiliary power sources.
Machine development is currently being carried out in cooperation with an established tractor manufacturer whose identity has not yet been disclosed.
Looking further ahead, Diess E-Agrartechnik’s development plans also include the design and supply of battery charging and swapping stations, a range of purpose-built electric implements and accessories, and, at a later stage, advanced autonomous driving solutions for agricultural field operations.
It is worth noting that Herbert Diess is no newcomer to agriculture. He owns a farming estate in Spain comprising a small hotel, a livestock operation and pear orchards. In 2021, he also launched the GenFarm Project, a collaboration between Volkswagen Group Innovation, Volkswagen Mobility Solutions and the Government of Rwanda aimed at creating a holistic ecosystem of electrically powered mechanised agricultural services for the country’s rural communities.
The project envisaged fleets of electric tractors powered by renewable energy, with surplus electricity being used to operate equipment for post-harvest handling, transport and storage.
Title: Diess E-Agrartechnik: innovation from cars to tractors
Translation with ChatGPT
