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Abstract.

This distinguished lecture will provide an overview of battery electric tractor design principles. An introduction to the Fendt e107 battery electric tractor development will be presented, such as the project history, basic concept considerations, general opportunities of electrification for agriculture, and the transition from a proof of concept in research to a series development. Key focus will be on the feasibility and technological building blocks. A key design choice for battery electric tractors (BETs) is whether to use shared components with combustion engines (conversion design) or develop a unique (purpose design) tractor with substantial drivetrain changes. The battery and its management system (BMS) determine many of the BETs essential functions and performance. Unlike refueling a traditional fuel tank, charging a BET battery requires specific additional aspects and has to deal with global infrastructure variations like voltage levels and charging standards. Additionally, managing component temperature ranges necessitates careful thermal system design. Electrical systems over 60 volts also require specialized safety measures for production, service, and repair.