Agrifac says its diesel-electric prototype Vanguard 55 sprayer cuts diesel consumption by around 50%, based on a year of road and field testing. The Steenwijk, Overijssel manufacturer is showing the machine publicly for the first time at AgroTechniek Holland (ATH).

The self-propelled sprayer carries a 5,500-litre tank on a high-clearance chassis. Its hybrid drivetrain pairs a downsized 126 kW diesel engine with an 80 kWh lithium-ion battery, mounted on the platform between the cab and the tank. The battery lets the machine drive fully electrically, and both the wheel drive and the spray pumps draw electrical power.

Where do the fuel savings come from?

The roughly 50% diesel saving rests on the efficiency of electric motors rather than a single technology. Agrifac identifies several sources:

• The diesel engine does not need to run while the sprayer is filling, eliminating idling at the filling point.
• Braking energy is recovered during driving and converted back into electrical power stored in the battery.
• Electric motors deliver drive and pump power more efficiently than the hydraulic circuits of a conventional diesel-hydraulic machine.

For contractors and arable operators running high-hour spraying programmes, a halved diesel burn on a self-propelled machine translates directly into lower cost per hectare and fewer refuelling stops during peak spray windows.

How does the hybrid differ from the standard Vanguard?

The prototype's 126 kW diesel engine is smaller than the unit in the standard fully diesel-powered version. Weight is the other trade-off: Agrifac estimates a fully electric version will come in 500 to 600 kg heavier than the diesel-hydraulic variant.

Despite the added mass, first test results point in an ambitious direction. According to Agrifac, a final production version should eventually manage a typical working day entirely on electric power, with the diesel engine available as back-up rather than as the primary energy source.

When can farmers buy one?

The machine on display at AgroTechniek Holland remains a prototype, and no launch date or price has been announced. Agrifac does expect to offer the hybrid drive on standard-chassis versions of the Vanguard in future, extending the technology beyond the high-clearance configuration shown at ATH.

That timing matters for anyone specing a new self-propelled sprayer. If the hybrid reaches series production with the tested 50% diesel saving intact, it would narrow the running-cost gap with newer battery-electric competitors while keeping the range and refuelling flexibility of diesel. Farmers watching this space should track the next trial stage: whether Agrifac confirms full-electric operation across a complete working day, and when the hybrid option appears on the order list for standard-chassis Vanguards.