PRESS RELEASE 29/10/2021
Press Office: press@antoniocarraro.it
SRX HYBRID (102 HP): CONCEPT is born, with ACHybrid technology
Antonio Carraro S.p.A, a world leader in compact tractors for specialised agriculture, takes innovation to
the next step, unveiling the first CONCEPT compact tractor with hybrid electric drive system at EIMA
2021.
The development of a new hybrid drive system for Antonio Carraro compact tractors is perfectly consistent with
current energy-saving projects in the “Non Road Mobile Machinery” NRMM sector. The project sets the strategic
objective of reducing harmful emissions as mandated by the PNRR Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (National
Recovery and Resilience Plan) and by the Next Generation calls for proposal issued by the EU. In recent years, the
demand for efficient, high-performing non-road mobile machinery able to satisfy specific operating needs has led the
scientific community and most industrial producers in this field to explore new design solutions. The choice of hybrid, or
fully electrified drive systems is setting an example in the automotive sector regarding the environmental benefits that
can be achieved in terms of reducing air pollutant emissions, in particular CO2. And that’s not all: vehicles fitted with
electrical subsystems can offer improved overall performance thanks to very precise power distribution control, leading
to a general increase in the machine’s productivity as compared to equivalent models fitted with traditional drive
systems.
For the engineers of the AC Research & Development department who worked in collaboration with Ecothea (start-up of the
Polytechnic of Turin, specialised in the design and prototyping of electric vehicles for applications on agricultural machinery), the
challenge was just as ambitious as it was exciting; the aim was to build a compact tractor with hybrid technology, based on the
most complex model of the Antonio Carraro range. An isodiametric tractor with reverse drive and articulated frame, keeping in
mind the typical DNA of compact tractors designed for specialised agriculture. Vehicles that necessarily had to be compact, agile
and comfortable. The result didn’t disappoint: SRX Hybrid is a compact vehicle equipped with all comforts, which is captivating
even to look at, but above all, “environmentally friendly”. A tractor with a 55kW combustion engine (3 cylinders; cc1861; fluid
cooled; Common Rail Turbo Intercooler fuel injection system) combined with a 20kW electric motor, for a total of 75kW, equal to
102hp.
In short, SRX Hybrid (diesel/electric) has several objectives:
• Guarantee the performance level of so-defined conventional machines;
• Reduce pollution;
• Reduce fuel consumption and maintenance costs;
• Reduce noise emissions;
• Operate in full electric mode in closed environments (sheds, greenhouses, stables, etc.)
The architecture of the hybrid-electric system resulting from the collaboration between ANTONIO CARRARO S.p.A. and ECOTHEA,
primarily makes it possible to exploit the available power of a diesel engine combined with an electric drive system, guaranteeing
continuous traction when working with the PTO (with all equipment), during transportation (with trailer), and in material handling
works (combining the vehicle with a forklift, loader or equipment for roadworks). This type of solution, also by virtue of the
complexity due to the small spaces typical of a specialised tractor, places the project at the highest levels of innovation also with
respect to hybrid architectures in the automotive sector. The overall peak power can in fact reach that of the most powerful
configurations in the current Antonio Carraro range. Interaction between the two diesel and electric traction motor-generator drive
systems is managed by an electronic power control developed specifically for this type of machine. The unprecedented architecture
of the transmission whereby the electric motor is inserted between the diesel engine and the gearbox, has been deposited with an
ACHybrid industrial patent.
PRESS RELEASE 29/10/2021
Press Office: press@antoniocarraro.it
A BRILLIANT, ECOLOGICAL, SILENT, COST-EFFICIENT MOTOR
The electric motorisation in subsequent versions will also be able to work in full electric mode, exploiting the lithium-ion battery
charge. In this case, the diesel engine is off and the machine works with zero emissions, in absolute silence. Autonomy in full
electric mode obviously depends on the capacity of the battery pack, which is recharged each time the brakes are actioned when
working in descent, or in plug-in mode with recharging via an electric charging station, or else on request of the user thanks to the
diesel engine. Considering an average work cycle, the CO2 reduction translates into fuel savings of more than 25%. Not to mention
the significant overall reduction in vibrations and noise.
Thanks to the combination of diesel/electric torque, the tractor offers brilliant “starting” performance on take off and during works
with specific equipment such as sprayers, cutters, trailers.
As with all Antonio Carraro machines, the compact configuration and weight distribution, even with the hybrid drive system,
guarantees maximum stability of the hybrid tractor even on the roughest terrain, remaining “steady” and safe with a turning radius
that highlights the typical agility of compact tractors. Also worth mentioning is the logic of the control panel equipped with an LCD
screen on the dashboard, allowing the operator to keep an eye on all technical data, including electrical power consumption, and a
dedicated screen to manage recharging. The details of the latest generation LED work lights are no less appreciable.
SRX Hybrid is a tractor fully equipped with Industry 4.0 systems, ensuring eligibility for tax breaks through tax credits, currently
equal to 50% given they fully satisfy the requirements of the transition 4.0 legislation.
ON GROUP AC CHARGING STATIONS
Alongside the AC hybrid tractor on display at the Eima fair is the charging station by On Group: the Italian start-up, of which
Antonio Carraro S.p.A. became the lead investor in March 2021, and which builds and distributes charging stations with Siemens
technology for various types of electric mobility including scooters, cars, bikes, and even tractors. Further proof that this Paduan
company is determined to lead the way in the ambitious challenges of the European Green Deal and ecological transition currently
under way.