Fendt e107 V Vario and Fendt e107 S Vario represent two concrete steps in the energy transition path pursued by Fendt by declining full electric propulsion towards specialized and corporate applications, the only ones for which electrification currently represents a credible added value in environmental terms
If it is true that the current crisis in the European automotive sector and the recent installation of the Trump Administration in the United States are leading to a rethinking of the methods and timing of the energy transition, it is equally true that the trend towards greater environmental sustainability is a process necessarily destined to find a concrete outcome beyond ideological positions.
If it is true that many of the objectives envisaged by the “green” programs in place at a global level will be heavily revised, first of all the European “Green Deal”, it is equally true that the objective of reducing the environmental impact of human activities remains an unavoidable necessity to ensure the usability of the Planet for all current living species in the centuries to come. From this perspective, the existing energy transition paths will therefore continue to have value, even if remodulated in application times and redirected towards specific application areas.
Redeveloped propulsion systems
Among these there will be the redevelopment of propulsion systems, either through the use of endothermic engines powered by alternative fuels to those of fossil origin or through the electrification of powertrains that until recently was hailed as a panacea for all environmental ills but is now under discussion due to the low energy storage of the batteries. A reality that is leading the manufacturers of self-propelled machines operating in the agricultural sector to abandon the idea, at least in the short and medium term, of pursuing the tout court electrification of every type of tractor, instead concentrating the zero-emission propulsion solutions developed by their research centers towards those application areas in which the limited operational autonomy offered by current batteries does not become a limit to company productivity.
The letters “V” and “S” in the denomination of tractors: the meaning
Short-range maintenance and movements, phytosanitary applications in specialized and horticultural fields and mixed fodder-zootechnical activities are therefore the main targets towards which full electric tractors can now look with credibility, precisely the mission profiles towards which Fendt has oriented its “electric” range, currently declined on the basis of two vehicles similar in powertrain setup but structurally differentiated to respond to as many operational focuses. At a nominal level the diversity focuses on the letters “V” and “S”, which differentiates the specialized “e107 V Vario” from the corporate “e107 S Vario”, while in structural terms the former offers the typical compact shapes of the vehicles intended to move within the vineyards and which therefore require limited widths, in this case in the order of one thousand 278 millimetres, to adapt to the typical rows of Italian viticulture and reduced pitches, two thousand 290 millimetres, for maneuver easily on headlands.
Also the “Dynamic+” operating mode
Obviously, the dimensions of the second are more generous, with the wheelbase rising to two thousand 370 millimeters compared to a width that stands at two thousand 163 millimetres, values which in fact allow it to be used both in superficial tillage of the soil on small plots and in movements in the fodder and livestock sectors. As mentioned, the powertrain is common, structured on the basis of a single electric with 50 kilowatts of nominal power, 68 horsepower equivalent, and up to 66 kilowatts of maximum power, 90 horsepower equivalent, when the “Dynamic+” operating mode is activated
“CCS” socket
In this case, it is obviously the autonomy that pays the price which, depending on the activities carried out or the methods of use chosen, offers a working period of between two and seven hours thanks to a battery with a capacity of 100 kilowatt hours, rechargeable from 20 to 80 percent in 45 minutes via rapid charging systems supported by a “CCS” socket capable of delivering up to 80 kilowatts of power. Alternatively, there is also a “CCS2” socket compatible with commercial wallboxes and public charging stations which brings the battery pack back to maximum capacity in five hours, the same time frame that occurs if a 32 amp industrial socket is used in combination with a 22 kilowatt mobile charger.
Maximum power of 55 kilowatts
These are charging performances in line with what is currently proposed in the automotive sector, just as the solutions aimed at optimizing energy management have been borrowed from this sector, from the continuously regulated battery cooling system to the recovery system in the release phase. What is exclusive, however, is the presence of the start-stop function which eliminates absorption during stops and the possibility of operating the machines on the basis of a third mode, “Dynamic” which is inserted between the standard one and “Dynamic+” making available a maximum power of 55 kilowatts, approximately 75 horsepower.
The continuous “Vario” transmission is a guarantee
The possibility therefore arises of modulating performance and autonomy according to contingent needs, without prejudice to the fact that the presence of a continuous “Vario” transmission, “Ml70” series for “e107 V Vario” and “Ml75” series for “e107 S Vario”, which allows the machines to move without interruption in a speed range between 20 meters/hour and 40 kilometers per hour, contributes greatly to the minimization of energy absorption.
It should be noted that the full electric connotation of the machines is also reflected in the drives of any equipment, but without preventing the latter from being of the traditional type and therefore powered mechanically or hydraulically. The electric motor also drives the rear and front power take-offs and the on-board hydraulics, powered by a split hydraulic system which provides 42+71 liters of oil per minute on the “e107 S Vario” and 48+71 liters per minute on the “e107 V Vario” to power the lifting units and distributors.
Max 24 quintals
The latter on the specialized “e107 V Vario” can be six central and four rear, while on the corporate “e107 Vario” there are four outputs, one of which can be positioned at the front with a lifting capacity of 42 quintals compared to the 28 proposed by the specialized “e107 V Vario”. The capacity of the possible front lift is common for both machines, 24 quintals and the empty weights are not currently declared but are indicated in line with those of the traditional versions.
Comfort ok
Fendt “e107 V Vario” and “e107 S Vario” are equipped with cabs borrowed, respectively, from the compartments reserved for the specialized “200 Vario V/F/P” and the corporate “200 Vario”. These are cabins at the top of the segment in terms of habitability and in terms of furnishing solutions, as per Fendt tradition, integrating the “FendtOne onboard” and “offboard” systems which combine smart farming and farm management solutions for use in the field and in the office. The first, “FendtOne onboard”, operates on the basis of a multifunction joystick, a ten-inch digital dashboard and a 12-inch terminal, implementing intelligent functions such as the automatic driving system “Fendt Guide” and the automatic control of the “Variable Rate Control” sections.
Fendt telemetry system
The machines are also connected to the Fendt telemetry system which refers to “FendtOne offboard” which allows remote control of both the functional parameters of the machine and those relating to the activities in progress, so that, if necessary, the company offices can plan the execution of the works also based on the state of charge of the tractors and the expected charging times.
Exclusive solutions
The company’s “e107 S Vario” is equipped as standard with a suspended front axle with a total travel of 80 millimeters which ensures a seven percent increase in traction capacity compared to that proposed by a traditional axle, while the presence of a stabilizer bar plays in favor of operational safety when the machine is called upon to work on steeply sloping or particularly rough terrain. Exclusivity instead of “e107 V Vario” is the availability of “Tm1 Eco Power” tires, developed by Trelleborg Tires specifically for the specialized full electric Fendt and characterized by reduced rolling resistance which helps to minimize energy absorption, particularly when the tractor travels on the road.
Title: With Fendt e107 V Vario and Fendt e107 S Vario credible transition
