Kubota, a Japanese agricultural equipment manufacturer, unveiled its hydrogen powered tractor at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Their hydrogen fuel cell powered tractor is self-driving. This is an important step toward cleaner and more efficient agriculture.
The tractor uses hydrogen fuel cells and produces 100 horsepower. Farmers can run it for almost half a day on one refuel. It works faster, refuels quickly, and emits no carbon.
The machine measures 14.4 feet long, 7.22 feet wide, and 7.5 feet tall. It does not have a driver’s seat. Instead, it can be controlled remotely. Smart cameras and artificial intelligence let it detect obstacles and stop automatically. In Japan, where many farmers are older and fewer people work on farms, this tractor can keep farms productive.
Kubota based this tractor on an earlier hydrogen model released last year. The older tractor had 60 horsepower and three hydrogen tanks on top. It could run for four hours after a ten-minute refuel.
The success of the earlier tractor gave Kubota confidence to make a self-driving version. Removing the driver increases efficiency and helps solve labor shortages.
Hydrogen fuel cells power the tractor. They combine hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity. The only byproducts are water and heat. Recent improvements make fuel cells stronger and more efficient. These improvements make them suitable for large tractors. Hydrogen fuel cells reduce carbon emissions and make farming more environmentally friendly.
Kubota will test the tractor in real farm fields. Compared to battery-powered tractors, it can work longer and deliver more power. Isamu Kazama, a lead developer said the company plans to continue improving and testing the tractor in real conditions.
This tractor shows how autonomous systems and hydrogen technologies can come together. If testing goes well, it has the potential to revolutionize farming throughout the world, allowing farmers to be more productive, efficient and environmentally friendly.
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