The Tadus T16.20 electric tractor, a 160-horsepower prototype powered by electricity, makes its international debut.
It stems from a project by the German startup Tadus that began in 2021 and is expected to lead to limited production in the second half of this year
Long proposed as a panacea for all the world’s problems, electric propulsion is increasingly proving to be a technology with limited promise. This is due both to unresolved technical issues—first and foremost the limited energy density of batteries—and to economic factors driven by the high prices that generally characterize fully electric vehicles. These limitations become even more critical as the power levels of the machines manufacturers aim to build increase.
These challenges also affect the agricultural mechanization sector. Despite the prototypes presented in recent years by almost all major tractor brands, today very few fully electric tractors are actually available for purchase from dealers, and most of them are low-power models. Against this backdrop, the solution showcased in Hannover by German startup Tadus—founded in 2021 precisely to design and produce electric tractors and supported by the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy—can be viewed with interest.
In just four years, the company has not only achieved its primary goal but has done so by developing a medium-high power machine that, in terms of image, design, and promised performance, stands up well in comparison with conventional tractors of similar output. Designated T16.20, the Tadus prototype features a good level of finish, even in details, and a clean, fluid design that is pleasantly simple. Beneath the bodywork lies a ground-up design, meaning it is not derived from electrifying an existing mechanical platform.
In this concept, every functional unit of the T16.20 is driven by a dedicated electric motor, and therefore the mechanical linkages that transmit torque to axles, transmission, hydraulics, hitches, and PTOs in conventional tractors are eliminated. Each functional group is independent in terms of actuation but governed by an electronic control system that optimizes energy distribution. This configuration minimizes energy losses and contributes to the projected autonomy, which Tadus claims ranges from five to eight hours depending on the task, and can be doubled with auxiliary battery packs.
To this end, the manufacturer has предусмотрed the ability to swap the depleted battery pack and activate the auxiliary one in just five minutes—resulting in downtime shorter than that normally required to refuel a conventional diesel tractor of comparable power.
In theory, this sounds like the proverbial Columbus’ egg, were it not for the fact that the T16.20’s rated 160 hp peak (120 hp continuous) is supplied by two 98 kWh lithium-ion battery packs. Based on industry averages, these packs would have a specific weight of almost 114 kg per 10 kWh, meaning they should weigh between 2.2 and 2.4 tonnes. Moving more than two tonnes of batteries in five minutes is no small feat and would only be feasible if the farm has dedicated handling equipment.
Similarly, the charging system must be dedicated as well: 22 kW AC and 120 kW DC. It is therefore clear that introducing a T16.20 into a farm would require additional investments on top of the tractor’s purchase price, which has not yet been disclosed.
However, if one accepts the assumptions advanced by BloombergNEF regarding future traction battery prices—USD 113 per kWh—the cost of the battery packs alone could exceed €22,000, a figure that would double if an additional battery pack is required. It is easy to imagine that the T16.20 price list will be significantly higher than that of a conventional 160 hp tractor. For this reason, Tadus’ website allows users to calculate hourly savings when operating the T16.20 instead of a traditional tractor. According to these calculations, the battery investment could be recovered in about a year by exploiting the gap between diesel prices and the cost of self-produced electricity.
Unfortunately, these calculations are based on statistics and assumptions that, however accurate, remain to be proven in real-world practice—especially since amortization should be calculated based on grid electricity costs when self-production is not available.
In conclusion, Tadus deserves praise for its work, but it is better to wait before taking the commercial success of the T16.20 for granted—especially considering that the manufacturer’s production target for this year is only five units, likely intended to serve as an extended experimental fleet.
Title: Tadus T16.20 electric tractor: 160-horsepower prototype on display in Hannover
Translation with ChatGPT
