CLAAS is advancing sustainable farming with clear solutions: fully electric powertrains for smaller vehicles like telehandlers and hydrogen engines as a promising alternative for heavy-duty machines. These innovations aim to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural operations.

The agricultural sector faces increasing pressure to adopt cleaner, more sustainable technologies without compromising performance. CLAAS is tackling this challenge with a dual focus: electric drives for lighter vehicles and hydrogen-powered engines for heavy machinery.

As part of a €5.1 million research project funded by Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, CLAAS is collaborating with industry leaders such as Deutz, Mahle, and Liebherr. The project explores hydrogen engines’ potential to deliver robust, efficient, and low-emission performance in agricultural machines. Tests include real-world trials with hydrogen-powered vehicles and extensive material studies to ensure durability under demanding conditions.

In addition to hydrogen, CLAAS also supports alternative fuels like HVO diesel. HVO, or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, is a renewable diesel substitute made from sustainable feedstocks such as waste oils and fats. It offers up to a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional diesel and is already approved for use across the entire CLAAS product range.

CLAAS is also investing in fully electric solutions. The Scorpion telehandler, showcased as a concept at Agritechnica 2023, represents the company’s vision for battery-powered equipment tailored for farmyard tasks.

“Decarbonisation requires the right technology for the right application”, explains Dr. Martin von Hoyningen-Huene, Chief Technology Officer at CLAAS. “Electric drives are ideal for lower-power applications, such as around the farm, while hydrogen and sustainable fuels are essential for high-performance machinery.”

In the past financial year, CLAAS once again presented numerous new products: In Europe, the TRION 740, which was previously only available in North America, was introduced as a new model in the combine harvester series in the medium power segment. In the forage harvesting segment, CLAAS presented seven new large-scale mowers, four new high-performance tedders and a new baler-wrapper combination. The company also presented new SCORPION telehandlers in the 3- and 4-tonne class, new ROVIO 4 maize pickers with significantly more power and new features for the JAGUAR forage harvester, including the innovative V-FLEX chopping cylinder and an AI-supported online tool integrated into CLAAS connect to determine preparation quality in the field. The NEXOS 200 COMFORT with a new four-post cab and extended comfort and automatic functions was presented in the area of specialty tractors for orchards and vineyards. Also important for growth and export markets was the launch of the LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC in North America and the AXION TERRA TRAC in South Africa. In addition, CLAAS successfully launched the XERION 12 tractor series, which once again embeds standards for power and efficiency, in Kazakhstan and Australia during the financial year – expanded by a third model, the XERION 12.540.

To learn more about the future of zero-emissions off-highway vehicles, hear keynote speeches about the latest innovations in the field, and visit a wide array of exhibitors, book your place to attend the 6th Design and Development of Zero-Emissions Off-Highway Machinery Summit will be taking place May 21-22, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.

For more information, click here or email us at info@innovatrix.eu for the event agenda.

Source:

CLAAS

Future Farming