New Holland’s T6.180 Methane Power Tractor Wins Major Sustainability Award
After earning the 2025 ESG Award for “Technological Innovation in ESG,” CNH’s New Holland brand has received yet another honor: its T6.180 Methane Power tractor—the world’s first agricultural tractor running on biomethane—was recently recognized with the ECO Innovation and Sustainability Award in São Paulo, Brazil.
New Holland has been investing in alternative fuel technologies since 2006, when it introduced its strategy for leadership in sustainable energy. Over the years, the company developed machines capable of operating on biodiesel and hydrogen, ultimately unveiling its first methane-powered T6 prototype in 2013. These advancements reflect the brand’s long-standing commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing carbon emissions.
Environmental benefits
Released commercially in 2022, the T6.180 Methane Power is now available to producers across Brazil. Its biomethane engine delivers significant environmental gains, including up to an 80% reduction in regulated pollutants and an 84% drop in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional diesel engines. Farmers can also lower fuel costs by 25% to 40% while maintaining the same power and range as a diesel tractor of similar size.
In 2023, New Holland introduced the concept of the energy-independent farm. Working alongside major players in the biomethane industry, the company helped design an innovative ecosystem that produces gas from the decomposition of animal waste. The system—made up of a biodigester, gas purification unit, generator, tractors, and heavy-duty trucks—is a first for Brazil and marks a major step forward for the country’s biogas sector.
This approach allows farmers to use biogas produced on their own land to power their equipment, creating a “virtuous cycle” in which the farm becomes increasingly energy-independent and environmentally sustainable. The result is lower operational costs, greater autonomy, and protection from the volatility of the fossil fuel market.
New Holland has been investing in alternative fuel technologies since 2006, when it introduced its strategy for leadership in sustainable energy. Over the years, the company developed machines capable of operating on biodiesel and hydrogen, ultimately unveiling its first methane-powered T6 prototype in 2013. These advancements reflect the brand’s long-standing commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing carbon emissions.
Environmental benefits
Released commercially in 2022, the T6.180 Methane Power is now available to producers across Brazil. Its biomethane engine delivers significant environmental gains, including up to an 80% reduction in regulated pollutants and an 84% drop in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional diesel engines. Farmers can also lower fuel costs by 25% to 40% while maintaining the same power and range as a diesel tractor of similar size.
In 2023, New Holland introduced the concept of the energy-independent farm. Working alongside major players in the biomethane industry, the company helped design an innovative ecosystem that produces gas from the decomposition of animal waste. The system—made up of a biodigester, gas purification unit, generator, tractors, and heavy-duty trucks—is a first for Brazil and marks a major step forward for the country’s biogas sector.
This approach allows farmers to use biogas produced on their own land to power their equipment, creating a “virtuous cycle” in which the farm becomes increasingly energy-independent and environmentally sustainable. The result is lower operational costs, greater autonomy, and protection from the volatility of the fossil fuel market.
Companies