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The Monarch-made MK-V tractor is now in production with the first of the 100% electrically powered tractors – which can be manned or autonomous – heading out to market.
The Monarch-made MK-V tractor is now in production with the first of the 100% electrically powered tractors – which can be manned or autonomous – heading out to customers.
The electric drivetrain delivers 40hp (30kW) of continuous power and short duration peak up to 70hp (52kW). Depending on operating conditions, maximum battery runtime is claimed to be more than 14 hours.
However, an optional battery pack is available for those customers seeking to extend the operating range.
Monarch Tractor suggests one person can swap the batteries in less than 10 minutes. The recharge times from 0 to 100% is said to be 5 to 6 hours using an 80-amp charger unit, or out to around 12 hours with a 40-amp charger. Batteries are covered by a 10-year (10,000hr) warranty.
The MK-V is packed with safety features including roll and collision prevention, vision-based PTO (540rpm) safety and 360° cameras. The tractor will stop moving if it detects a human within 2m, and the PTO automatically shuts off if the system detects a hand or a leg within 30cm.
Offering customisable, additional packages to use the latest autonomous hardware and software technology for driver-assist and driver-optional operations, the tractor can perform pre-programmed tasks without the need for the operator.
An interactive automation feature allows the tractor to follow another in the same field. Meanwhile, it is also possible for one operator to manage up to eight MK-Vs at a time.
Said to be well suited to orchards, vineyards, or areas where noise might be an issue, the electric tractor weighs in at 2.3 tonnes and offers a turning radius of 2.7 metres.
Currently, the tractor is only available in North America, with 4-wheel drive, a Cat I/II rear linkage, 750kg lift capacity, and 75l/min hydraulics flow at prices starting at US$89,000 (NZ$141,000).
CNH Industrial recently secured a minority stake in Monarch Tractor, and the California-based start-up (founded in 2018) played a role in the development of the recently showcased New Holland T4 Electric Power tractor.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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