New Holland’s biomethane T6.180 tractor, revealed at the recent Balmoral Show, is reportedly the first of its kind in Ireland. The model offers Irish farmers an alternative to diesel-fuelled tractor models. With the price of diesel up 40% in a year, this biomethane version attracted a fair amount of attention. It is as powerful as its diesel counterpart, but reduces running costs up to 30%.
The new tractor is modelled on New Holland’s regular T6.180, but it has been adapted to run on surplus gas from on-farm AD plants. The tank holds 79kg of gas, which is sufficient for approximately eight hours of use. At May 2022 prices, it would cost around €95 to fill the tank.
Ideal for routine farm work, including drawing silage and spreading slurry, the biomethane T6.180 tractor features 180 horsepower, 740Nm of torque and a maximum lift capacity of 7.8 tonnes.
What’s more, the methane-powered machine produces 80% lower overall emissions, including 99% less particulate matter, and 10% less CO2.
Although this model is currently the only one available, it is expected that New Holland will roll out biomethane technology into its other larger horsepower models.
One of these will cost €23,465 more than the standard diesel option, but farmers will hopefully be able to recover that expense with fuel savings over time.
The tractor will be put to the test on tillage and beef and dairy farms in Counties Armagh and Tyrone. It delivers a different driving experience with less noise in-cab. It’s also quieter on the outside, which is preferable for local residents. The T6.180 is also a lot more efficient on the throttle, which means it’s a lot faster too.