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Green Good Design Awards ARCHIVE 2023 Green Transportation
New Holland T7 LNG Tractor | 2022
  • New Holland T7 LNG Tractor | 2022
  • New Holland T7 LNG Tractor | 2022
  • New Holland T7 LNG Tractor | 2022
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New Holland T7 LNG Tractor | 2022

Designers: Cadalora Alessio, CNH Industrial Italia SpA., Modena (MO), Italy
Manufacturer: CNH Industrial, Modena (MO), Italy 

The T7 Methane Power is the world’s first liquified natural gas-powered tractor. It builds on the heritage of the commercialized T6 Methane Power, fuelled by compressed natural gas. This new model is more powerful and is able to perform more power-intensive operations for longer thanks to liquified natural gas. When powered by LNG derived from animal manure it delivers better than carbon-zero operation.

Operators can spend long hours in the cab and ergonomic comfort is a must. And in line with the tractor’s inspired exterior particular attention has been paid to the interior. The cab incorporates a full-length skydome roof for enhanced visibility and a greater sense of space. The innovative SideWinder Ultra armrest, the new larger IntelliView 12 touchscreen, and the CentreView fixed hub steering wheel mounted display make work intuitive – while the ergonomically shaped seats in leather and Alcantara with contrasting stripe and embroidered logo, look sporty and are also comfortable.

An inspired aesthetic from the in-house Design Team presents a tractor that is ahead of its time, with a new ‘Clean Blue’ color accenting sustainable alternative fuels. Inspired by nature itself, the all-new exterior features fit with the brand’s new signature design style, which can be seen in the reimagined bonnet with the illuminated New Holland iconic leaf. The exterior is completed by powerful LED taillights with incorporated signature leaf, a C-Pillar illuminated leaf, and gloss black wheels with custom Clean Blue accents. A brand-inspired approach to lighting has been adopted, with New Holland’s iconic leaf quite literally lending its form to the lighting design. From illuminated bonnet and C-Pillar leaves to the LED running strip which wraps around the cab’s rear roof, lighting has become more than just function, it has become a core design element.

The brand values alliances with innovative and disruptive industry players to accelerate the time to market for new technologies. To spearhead this latest development, the designers partnered with Bennamann, a UK-based expert in solutions to capture and repurpose fugitive methane emissions for energy use.

How it works: A tried-and-tested energy-independent sustainable farm system sees collected livestock manure transferred to a covered slurry lagoon or tank, where the emitted fugitive methane (alongside other polluting gases) is captured, subsequently being purified and converted into liquefied methane using a processing unit. A liquefaction unit can simply be bolted onto an existing CNG processing unit for further flexibility – ideal for farms that already produce their own biomethane. The patented non-venting cryogenic storage tanks keep the methane as a liquid at -162°C, producing a new source of clean power for the T7 Methane Power LNG tractor. Furthermore, this technology enables LNG to be transported, similar to diesel, to wherever it is required, meaning farms that do not have the ability to produce LNG on-site can still benefit from its advantages, as well as enabling flexible in-field refueling during intense operational windows.

The tractor’s surrounding environment also benefits from a significant reduction in drive-by noise levels, making it perfect for tasks near livestock or in urban areas. Road to Zero Carbon Farming The T7 Methane Power LNG offers unparalleled performance for an alternative fuel tractor. With its 270hp, it delivers the same power and torque as a diesel tractor without the need for any extra tanks. It is also more sustainable, delivering better than carbon-neutral operation when powered by Liquefied Biomethane sourced from livestock manure/slurry. This monetizes a former waste product, creates a renewable and carbon-neutral fertilizer, and can be used to power the farm’s own operations, making it a productivity and profitability-boosting solution.

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