Electric tractors can do much of the same farm work as diesel ones at a fraction of the energy cost. That is the finding of an 11-month field pilot in Haryana by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), published as a working paper this month. The study reports energy-cost savings of 64% to 84% per acre. The results arrive as paddy harvesting begins and concerns about stubble burning return to the National Capital Region.
What the pilot measured
The researchers followed five electric tractor models from four manufacturers across Haryana for 11 months. The work included tillage, sowing, residue management, haulage, threshing and fertiliser spraying. The ICCT says this tested the machines within real farm production cycles rather than controlled demonstrations.
The key numbers, as reported by the ICCT:
- Energy use: Electric tractors used up to 78% less energy per acre than diesel ones. The biggest gain came in rotavating, a high-torque task, where the 78% energy saving meant an 84% cut in cost.
- Baling: Electric tractors made 17% more bales per hour at 64% lower energy cost. Baling matters because it helps farmers manage crop residue instead of burning it.
- Transport: On long hauls, energy use fell by 30% to 53%, a cost saving of about 60%. On short hauls, energy use fell by more than 95% and costs by over 98%. Diesel tractors lose efficiency on short trips because of idling and frequent stops.
In simple terms, a farmer who spends ₹100 on diesel energy for a rotavating job would, on these figures, spend about ₹16 on electricity for the same job. That is an illustration of the percentage, not a figure from the study.
The battery limit
The pilot did not find a perfect substitute. Under heavy loads, the electric tractors ran continuously for only 1.5 to 3 hours. Diesel tractors managed 10 to 12 hours in peak harvest windows. On lighter, longer tasks such as hay raking, electric tractors came close to diesel running hours. Despite lower rated horsepower, the electric tractors matched or beat diesel on time taken for most tasks.
To address this, the ICCT recommends faster listing of certified e-tractor models on the government’s approved agricultural machinery list, so farmers can reach existing subsidies. It also recommends cluster-based charging, including battery-swapping and fast-charging pilots. It also suggests wider subsidies and public procurement.
Amit Bhatt, the ICCT’s India Managing Director, said “e-tractors can already match diesel on performance while cutting costs sharply”.
What this means for India
India registers close to 1 million new tractors every year. Tractors typically stay in service for 10 to 15 years, so those sold now could still be running in the 2040s. Adoption is still low. The ICCT links this to uncertainty about the technology, even where states such as Haryana offer subsidies. This pilot offers farm-level data to test that doubt. The study also found that industrial and peri-urban districts such as Gurugram and Panipat have more tractors than their cropped area needs, suggesting heavy non-farm haulage use. The ICCT sees this as a good fit for early electrification.
Why it matters now
Earlier ICCT work noted that the upfront price of an e-tractor is more than double that of a diesel tractor. This pilot looked only at energy costs per task, not purchase price. The ICCT’s earlier analysis of 10-year ownership costs put e-tractors just 3% costlier than diesel. Lower running costs are therefore central to the case. Whether farmers buy in will depend on how quickly charging and battery-swapping options reach the field.
Sources
- Electric tractors in India: Evidence from real-world pilots and implications for policy
- Electric Tractors Cut Farm Energy Costs By Up To 84%: ICCT
- Electric tractors cut energy costs by up to 84 per cent: ICCT
- India needs a policy push to harvest the rich benefits of electric tractors
