A pioneering hydrogen fuel cell concept tractor, powered by Ballard, was publicly unveiled in Austria in July 2024. Developed in collaboration between TU Wien and CNH and integrated with a Ballard fuel cell, the zero-emission vehicle is based on a STEYR® 4140 Expert CVT tractor – incorporating fuel cell and electrical systems, high-voltage battery, and power output that matches its diesel equivalent.
The zero-emission concept tractor is powered by Ballard's FCmove-HD+ 100kW fuel cell engine, which provides a flexible solution for a range of heavy-duty applications including buses, trucks and off-road vehicles across the globe. The module offers a durable, compact and easy installation solution for system integrators and vehicle OEMs - with proven reliability, simplified integration, and exceptional fuel cell stack lifetime which provides more than 25,000 hours of operation.
Driving the project is the ambition of end-to-end sustainability, via a BioH2Module engineered to complement the decarbonized tractor.
The module produces hydrogen from biogenic raw materials and residues – equating to approximately 3.5 liters of diesel. Like other hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles, the unit emits only water vapor, and the tractor meets the demanding requirements of a full agricultural shift, with no compromise in power or performance when compared to vehicles powered by fossil fuels.
The STEYR® FCTRAC attracted considerable attention recently at the Schönbrunn Palace venue in Vienna at the Austrian State Prize for Technology awards, for which it was nominated in the ‘Mobility Technologies' category, a section which honors ground-breaking Austrian technical innovations. The category focuses on the research and development of sustainable, climate-neutral and intelligent mobility technologies.
The FCTRAC was developed as part of a national research project funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and led by the Institute of Powertrains and Automotive Technology (IFA) at TU Wien.