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Market potential of electric farm tractors in Germany

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2026 ASABE Annual International Meeting  2600910.(doi:10.13031/aim.202600910)
Authors:   Julius Ignatz Wendling, Christoph André Brinkman, Heinz Bernhardt
Keywords:   Electric farm tractors; photovoltaic; on-farm renewable energy; diesel price volatility; German energy market

Abstract. The electrification of agricultural machinery represents a promising pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency in the farming sector. This paper analyzes the market potential of electric farm tractors in Germany, focusing on structural and energy-economic characteristics that create particularly favorable conditions for their adoption. A unique driver is the large number of photovoltaic (PV) installations whose feed-in tariffs are expiring. Many German farms will increasingly face declining revenues from electricity feed-in, motivating new strategies for on-site electricity use. Electric tractors offer a direct opportunity to utilize self-generated renewable electricity while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, persistently high diesel prices significantly increase operating costs for conventional tractors and strengthen the economic attractiveness of electric alternatives. Furthermore, Germany‘s high share of renewable energy and the growing possibilities for farmers to participate in electricity markets enable new revenue streams through flexible charging, load shifting, and potential vehicle-to-grid applications. By combining evidence from the German energy market, energy price developments, and the technology characteristics of an electric tractor currently under development, this review evaluates economic viability and adoption barriers for electric tractors in Germany. The synthesis indicates that Germany—particularly farms with existing renewable generation and the ability to shift charging—represents a highly promising early market for electric farm tractors and related smart energy services.

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