E98 John Deere Hits Farm Fields

E98 John Deere Hits Farm Fields John Deere tractors burning straight ethanol are in fields this spring. The experimental tractors are operating in Iowa and Illinois and will spend some time in Nebraska. It’s the second year of field trials for the E98s. The 9-liter, 350-hp spark-ignited engine delivers power comparable to its diesel equivalents, without the need for DEF. “To get the same high level of power density as diesel, we need the high percentage ethanol,” says Buddy (Harold) Kavalier, large tractor engine research strategist with Deere. “You need more ethanol in order to have the same energy content as a gallon of diesel.” Given the cost differential between ethanol and diesel, ethanol should be an attractive alternative. Add to that the incentive to use the fuel produced from the crop you produced. “Farmers provide the feedstock for the ethanol plants,” says Kavalier. “The E98 is an opportunity for them to buy the fuel back from the plant they sold to. We’re creating a little bit more of that circular economy.” The E98 engine is essentially the proven and popular 8R diesel engine. “We kept as many components as we could,” says Kavalier. “We had to change out air and fuel components and develop the computer controls to allow it to run on ethanol. Cold starts are still a challenge, but we’ve made a lot of progress over the past six months.” He explains that although bottom-end torque differs from that of a diesel, the engine compares well to a diesel as it moves up the power curve. He credits advances in computerized controls with making an ethanol-powered tractor viable. “Even 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have been an option,” Kavalier says. Powering farm tractors with ethanol was a dream shared by many farmers during the late 1970s energy crisis. In 1979, M & W Gear Co. (Vol. 3, No. 6) promoted its Aquahol kit to convert diesel tractors to run on home-brewed alcohol. Although many attempts were made to repower gas-fueled tractors, poor-quality ethanol was a major problem. Kavalier notes that the availability of high-quality ethanol is no longer a problem. “We need high-quality fuel for the E98 engine, and the infrastructure and equipment are in place with existing ethanol plants,” says Kavalier. “Every plant produces 98% ethanol, and every terminal has it on hand in order to distribute it to us as 10% and higher ethanol at the fuel pumps.” Deere is working with GrowMark FS to provide fuel distribution services. “We want to make sure we’ve got other distributors who are capable of getting the E98 ethanol as well,” says Kavalier. Later this summer, the E98 ethanol-powered prototype will be on display at major farm shows. It was first showcased at Commodity Classic 2026 after 4 to 5 years of research and development. Kavalier emphasizes that the research continues, but don’t expect to order one anytime soon. “This tractor is a number of years away before we would look at going to production or commercialization,” says Kavalier. “This is the first pass-build of an ethanol-powered engine.” The E98 tractors have been field-tested in Brazil. Kavalier notes that Deere is also considering the engine for the Canadian market. “We’re starting to get insights on how it would work there and hope to get tractors up there as well,” he says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Deere (https://about.deere.com/en-us/our-company-and-purpose/technology-and-innovation/alternative-energy/renewable-fuels).

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