Alpego showed the Alysium electric power harrow at the Italian Eima show. The working width is 3.0m.
One of the innovation award winners, the base machine is still mechanical, but there is no pto shaft, and the gearbox used to drive the interlocking gears has also been ditched.
Instead, the rotors are powered by five electric motors: one for two rotor segments. Currently being tested behind a new hybrid tractor (manufacturer unknown), the 700v DC connection provides the Alysium with 50-60kw of electricity.
It is still very much a prototype, and Alpego stresses that part of the project is to find out what is possible with electrics. Major challenges so far include safety, but they have already found that the tractor uses a third less fuel. Another benefit is the possibility to control rotor speed electrically, which paves the way real-time adaption to different soils.
It is not yet known if the machine will make it to the production stage, and even if it does (depends on the speed of development of the tractor), it could take several years.
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