Landini is proof that good things always come in threes.

Eima International Technical Innovation shines for the third consecutive time on the Argo Tractors brand and on the REX4 in particular, which – after Advanced Driving System in 2018 and Electra – Evolving Hybrid in 2020 – receives the award for the Full Hybrid project. The project is a further step in the electrification process for specialised tractors that the group has been engaged for some years and it confirms the Italian company as a key player, capable of creating high-level innovations in the mechatronics sector.

The prestigious award was presented on 5th October during the exclusive preview organised by FederUnacoma in Bologna, where the REX4 Full Hybrid will be in the spotlight at Eima International 2022 from the 9th to the 13th of November.

“The three prestigious awards obtained in succession by the Landini REX4 – emphasises Giovanni Esposito, Innovation Director at Argo Tractors – confirm our cutting edge in the technological development of products, the result of a growth path in which the Argo Tractors group is investing with persistent far-sightedness. Today, thanks to the Full Hybrid project, the electrification program for our specialised tractors, which also involves acquiring new skills and creating specific processes within the company, takes a decisive step forward. With the applied management strategy, developed by Argo Tractors, a significant reduction in fuel consumption and an autonomy of up to 2 hours in full electric mode has been achieved, thereby effectively responding to the demands of the market and modern agriculture, emphasising once again the group’s particular sensitivity towards the objectives of economic and environmental sustainability”.

The design of the new REX4 Full Hybrid tractor involved developing a series of innovative technologies aimed at optimising mechanical systems, recovering energy and managing power flows in the various electrical devices. All of this is a remarkable accomplishment, but is also an exceptional landmark for the future development of these machines, with increasingly sophisticated, cutting-edge and invaluable functions for the user and the environment.

The Full Hybrid project, capable of delivering a total power output of 80kW, features a 55 kW diesel engine combined with an electric permanent magnet Booster motor with a power output of up to 50 kW. Full Hybrid operation delivers 55 kW from the internal combustion engine combined with 25 kW of electrical power, while a nominal power of 50 kW can be reached (with a peak of 65kW) in Full Electric mode.

The tractor is equipped with a large capacity battery, both as an energy storage for hybrid operation and to ensure the autonomy needed in full electric mode. When under low mechanical load, the internal combustion engine recharges the battery according to a proprietary algorithm that constantly assesses the energy inputs and implements the most appropriate strategy in that moment.

The entire system is managed by a PMS (Power Management System), which monitors the electrical devices and power flows and identify the optimum operating point of the two propulsion systems. The efficiency of the system is boosted even further by using the electric motor as a recharging generator during deceleration and braking to recover energy from the tractor.

Even if it is still a prototype version, the REX4 Full Hybrid project represents a fundamental step in the development of electrification technologies that are destined to take on an increasingly decisive role in the market of the future, in parallel with the process that is underway in the automotive sector.