Hibra Design, a Cork-based automotive engineering company, showcased Ireland’s first electric battery converted tractor at this year’s Ploughing.
Hibra Design specialises in developing bespoke vehicle solutions, including full vehicle development, with a focus on engineering battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
The John Deere 5070M on display had its 70hp, 4.5l four-cylinder engine fully stripped out and replaced with a 73kW motor and 55kWh battery system, as part of a project commissioned by Bord na Móna. The project, named the Boglands Electric Tractor Reengineering (BETR), was presented within the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena.
The project was funded by the Peatlands and People EU to repurpose one of Bord na Móna’s existing John Deere 5070M tractors for use in extreme peatland conditions for rewetting along with the planting of sphagnum moss. In addition, the tractor is used as a mobile energy source for battery-powered drones.
Hibra Design set out with an initial vision to re-engineer the tractor to perform as close to identical as it did when it was fitted with its 70hp, four-cylinder John Deere engine.
Having got to work, the project took the team 13 months from start to finish. This broke down to a nine-month design phase and a four-month build and testing phase.
Mike Keane, founder of Hibra Design, outlined how the conversion demanded a complex engineering approach in order to allow the full integration of the tractor’s existing control systems, 4WD transmission, PTO and hydraulic capabilities with a new electric powertrain.
Delving beneath the surface, an electric motor now directly replaces the engine and, as a result, sees the transmission, hydraulic pump and PTO work as before.
The team settled for a 73kW motor and a 55kWh lithium-ion battery system which is now positioned where the engine once sat.
To prevent any premature failure of the drivetrain, power output was controlled to the equivalent of 100hp, while torque was controlled to a maximum of 578Nm (continuous 294Nm).
Weighing 20kg less than the tractors original weight of 3,700kg, Mike outlined how the motors torque curve has been mapped to mimic a similar driver experience to the previous diesel engine. Having undergone substantial field testing, the team at Bord na Móna was pleasantly surprised with how similar the tractor performed in comparison to how it did prior to the conversion.
The 55kWh battery pack allows a continuous runtime of up to 2.5 hours while a larger 110kWh option is available, offering twice the run time at five hours. Using DC fast charging, charge time of the standard battery takes 60 minutes, while the dedicated AC charger takes up to 8.8 hours.
Company background
The name Hibra Design is derived from the Irish proverb “Tús maith leath na hoibre” which directly translates to “A good start is half the work”.
The company was founded in 2022 by Mike Keane following a 20+ year career in automotive development, over which Mike worked on a variety of vehicle programmes for Ford, Nissan, Liebherr, Land Rover, and Jaguar.
Hibra Design founder, Mike Keane.
The team now comprises five employees and in just five years the company has successfully secured programmes for public and private sector clients across Ireland, the EU, the Middle East, and South Africa.
Hibra Design, a Cork-based automotive engineering company, showcased Ireland’s first electric battery converted tractor at this year’s Ploughing.
Hibra Design specialises in developing bespoke vehicle solutions, including full vehicle development, with a focus on engineering battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
The John Deere 5070M on display had its 70hp, 4.5l four-cylinder engine fully stripped out and replaced with a 73kW motor and 55kWh battery system, as part of a project commissioned by Bord na Móna. The project, named the Boglands Electric Tractor Reengineering (BETR), was presented within the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena.
The project was funded by the Peatlands and People EU to repurpose one of Bord na Móna’s existing John Deere 5070M tractors for use in extreme peatland conditions for rewetting along with the planting of sphagnum moss. In addition, the tractor is used as a mobile energy source for battery-powered drones.
Hibra Design set out with an initial vision to re-engineer the tractor to perform as close to identical as it did when it was fitted with its 70hp, four-cylinder John Deere engine.
Having got to work, the project took the team 13 months from start to finish. This broke down to a nine-month design phase and a four-month build and testing phase.
Mike Keane, founder of Hibra Design, outlined how the conversion demanded a complex engineering approach in order to allow the full integration of the tractor’s existing control systems, 4WD transmission, PTO and hydraulic capabilities with a new electric powertrain.
Delving beneath the surface, an electric motor now directly replaces the engine and, as a result, sees the transmission, hydraulic pump and PTO work as before.
The team settled for a 73kW motor and a 55kWh lithium-ion battery system which is now positioned where the engine once sat.
To prevent any premature failure of the drivetrain, power output was controlled to the equivalent of 100hp, while torque was controlled to a maximum of 578Nm (continuous 294Nm).
Weighing 20kg less than the tractors original weight of 3,700kg, Mike outlined how the motors torque curve has been mapped to mimic a similar driver experience to the previous diesel engine. Having undergone substantial field testing, the team at Bord na Móna was pleasantly surprised with how similar the tractor performed in comparison to how it did prior to the conversion.
The 55kWh battery pack allows a continuous runtime of up to 2.5 hours while a larger 110kWh option is available, offering twice the run time at five hours. Using DC fast charging, charge time of the standard battery takes 60 minutes, while the dedicated AC charger takes up to 8.8 hours.
Company background
The name Hibra Design is derived from the Irish proverb “Tús maith leath na hoibre” which directly translates to “A good start is half the work”.
The company was founded in 2022 by Mike Keane following a 20+ year career in automotive development, over which Mike worked on a variety of vehicle programmes for Ford, Nissan, Liebherr, Land Rover, and Jaguar.
Hibra Design founder, Mike Keane.
The team now comprises five employees and in just five years the company has successfully secured programmes for public and private sector clients across Ireland, the EU, the Middle East, and South Africa.
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