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Agrifac has developed a diesel electric version of its Vanguard 55.
Becoming the norm in the automobile industry, but much less so in agriculture, Dutch self-propelled sprayer manufacturer Agrifac has developed a diesel-electric version of its Vanguard 55.
The hybrid version of the Vanguard 55E, sees the current six-cylinder 212/284hp(157/212kW) engine, swapped for a four-cylinder 169hp (124kW) engine, supplemented by an 80kWh battery pack. In practice, the engine acts as a range extender, only being switched on to charge the battery. The hybrid is expected to burn around 35% less fuel than the diesel variant, achieved by part-time operation and the more efficient electric drivetrain.
Seeing the hydraulic wheel motors replaced for electric units and featuring electrically powered filling and spray pump, Agrifac suggests the hybrid machine should be able to work in the fully electrical mode for around two hours, before the diesel engine cuts in to recharge the battery.
They suggest that as most sprayers typically work for a few hours in the morning and again in the evening, the battery pack can also be charged back at the farm between operations.
The company has stated that the hybrid drive platform will be further developed, tested and validated, but based on the current development timeline, the first “hybrid” machines could be available as early as next year.
Looking further ahead, the 5500-litre prototype could also be adapted to work fully electric or equipped with a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, with the electric powertrain in both configurations being the same.
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