The German inspired NEXAT self-propelled power platform that replaces a tractor and just about everything else is on sale now in Brazil
If a farmer with a big fleet of agricultural machinery sat down and combined every model into a single platform as the ideal machine, they would have come up with the NEXAT.
The possibility of manufacturing a farm machine that replaces a tractor and almost every other model in the shed has become a reality with the NEXAT, a self-propelled implement carrier capable of working across a width of 14m (45ft) wide tramlines.
For many, the NEXAT has come out of nowhere and appears to have been launched overnight in Brazil, but in reality, it has been in development in Germany since 2017 by father-and-son team, Klemens and Felix Kalverkamp, who formed Kalverkamp Innovation to bring it to fruition.
Building on their years of experience in agricultural machinery development, the Kalverkamps have brought NEXAT to life as the ideal solution for large-scale farm operations, an all-in-one farming system designed to streamline crop production.
NEXAT is in its sixth year of testing in planting and harvesting, with the biggest push starting in Ukraine in 2019, somewhat thwarted by the ensuing war, but claims up to 10 prototypes are now operating successfully across Europe and North and South America.
Growers in Brazil will be the first able to place an order for a NEXAT, with factory slots being taken now, with delivery slated for later this year.
There are already models operating under trial conditions in the US and Canada that will no doubt attract further orders, with the suggestion of every broadacre farming region worldwide to follow.
This powerful wide-span double diesel-powered platform carrier hosts 809kW (1100hp) of power, that can be interchanged as a single module of 405kW (550hp), as required for tillage, planting and spraying. While harvesting requires the full output.
In essence, the NEXAT effectively eliminates the need for a tractor, sprayer and harvester.
Up to date at least, the Kalverkamps have resisted approaches from high-powered tractor makers that seem most at risk of losing sales once NEXAT goes into production for worldwide sales, as early as March 2026.
This approach is in stark contrast to a previous implement carrier that looked like giving tractors a run for their money, DOT later to become OMNiPOWER.
That was until CNH Industrial bought the company for US$2.1 billion and basically shut down the challenge it represented to tractor production. See the buyout story here.
The Kalverkamps challenge with NEXAT appears to have progressed much deeper, but major tractor makers are content to see if the power platform concept has any traction with farmers who are already resentful of the high prices they face for updating their machinery.
And before you read more about NEXAT, see how DOT/OMNiPOWER expanded its on-farm trials when the initial power-platform buyer expanded from one platform to two. Before it disappeared in CNH’s Raven Industries division, on this link.
What NEXAT can offer growers
NEXAT will handle every implement the same as expected from a tractor, harvester or sprayer, with an advantage in the process that farmers can expect to see reduced soil compaction and overall lower operating costs.
This implement carrying power platform weighs 40% less than conventional machines while offering up to 50% more throughput due to this powerful, streamlined design. NEXAT is expected to change the way planting and harvesting is tackled and save money in the process.
NEXAT will push many farm operations toward a more sustainable method of controlled traffic farming (CTF) as their own research has identified massive reductions in permanent soil compaction.
With NEXAT, only 5% of the arable soil is compacted, while CTF growers accept that up to 20% of their soil is being compromised, and open farming methods have registered up to 70% compaction issues when substandard conditions are encountered.
There will be plenty of openings for implement manufacturers in every country to be involved, as the NEXAT system leans heavily on working with makers who are well-versed with local requirements to build implements that growers are already familiar with and trust.
With access to attachments designed by local manufacturers, NEXAT claims it is able to replace a stand-alone tractor, combine and sprayer with one power platform, offering a substantial saving on machine outlay.
The Kalverkamps are firm in their belief that NEXAT is not just a simple alternative to replacing at least three other farm models; it is, in fact, the way forward for farming with a power platform that provides better draught power and reduces slippage to a point of big fuel savings.
They have approached the NEXAT project thinking about how the whole planting-to-harvesting process can be improved with a controlled traffic pattern run from either tracks or wheels.
With NEXAT, growers can follow the same tracks with minimal soil compaction and leave up to 90% of the paddock surface untouched, working in a controlled traffic pattern (CTF) with variable working width settings from 6 to 24 metres (19.7 to 78.7ft).
The Kalverkamps believe they are introducing the first truly holistic farm planting and production system that will condition the soil for less erosion and keep vital nutrients in the ground for increased yields.
What drives NEXAT
NEXAT is fitted with two independently driven Leibherr diesel engines of 405kW (550hp) each that combine to produce 809kW (1100hp), sending the power to a generator that in turn powers four electric drives, each of which has an output of 160kW (218hp).
The NEXAT diesel electric drive is seen as simplistic enough, with the dual-engine drive system, each supplying power to an electrical generator that in turn drives four electric motors connected to the tracks.
The electric motors on the tracks have been designed to be taken out and replaced within four hours of an issue being discovered by a farm mechanic or local service technician.
Each diesel engine is rated at 405kW (550hp), and while some operations, such as planting or spraying, may only require one engine to be running, a combine front attachment needs power from both.
Even as the NEXAT works its way through the paddock, with an operator guided by GPS, the cab can be pivoted to the rear to allow observation at the back of the machine and monitor implement operation from a perspective not normally available.
The operator can move the cab through an arc of more than 180-degrees and enjoys the benefits of a quiet atmosphere inside the cab as the engines are set well away on the platform. The Cabin is rotatable by 270-degrees.
For road transport, the tracks pivot 90-degrees to position the cab at the front to achieve a width of just 3.65m (12-ft) to reach a top speed of 40kph.
Getting to work
NEXAT makes full use of current technology such as diesel-electric drive, fully automated track guidance, and a Plug & Play modular structure.
And when it comes to attaching implements such as a planter or sprayer, the product tanks ride on the power platform and save immensely on fuel by not having to pull additional weight.
At the outset, NEXAT is working with several implement manufacturers to tweak designs to ensure, for instance, a seed drill offers comparable capacity to a conventional tractor-drawn model and maintains seeding efficiency.
At launch in Brazil, implement attachment is with a standard category 4, three-point hitch connection, for a straightforward process. With single bank access for the operator to all the electrical and hydraulic connections.
The NEXAT power platform simple to operate and easy to service, and with readily available components that can be fitted in and out by a competent technician, following the company provided digital service information.
The Kalverkamps are destined for success with NEXAT mainly because they have identified a farm segment of Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) that will readily make the move to a power platform and improve their operation in doing so.
This differs from the previous power platforms that tended to be seeking a broader power range, to a less defined segment of farmers.
Do a walkaround of the NEXAT now on this video link.
NEXAT Power Platform key Specifications
NEXAT is designed as a complete integrated farming system to replace a tractor, sprayer and combine with just one unit.
- Platform hardware:
- Diesel-electric drive system powered by two 405kW (550hp) diesel engines. Electric single-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. Rotatable cabin (270 degrees) for flexible operation. Hydraulically adjustable chassis. Autonomous driving capabilities and 360° camera monitoring.
- Interchangeable modules with standardized ISOBUS interfaces.
- Working Width:
- Variable working width of 6 to 24m (20 to 80-ft).
- Set 14m (45-ft) working width for certain CTF implements.
- Fertilisation:
- Becomes a self-propelled slurry tanker with 32176-litre (32 m3) capacity. Pumping capacity of 11924 litres/min.
- Precise application at minimum distance to the soil.
- Harvesting:
- Developed harvesting module with two axial threshing systems. 30 cub.m grain tank (30000-litres). 15.2m (50-ft) header width. 6m (19.6-ft) long rotor.
- 11m² (118 ft²) total cleaning area.
- Cultivation:
- Disc harrow with 14m (45-f) working width.
- Up to 120mm working depth.
- Other Functions:
- Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) capabilities. Reduces paddock traffic and optimises soil fertility. Potential for CO2 emissions trading through optimised soil life. Developed by NEXAT in partnership with various companies.
- Aims for resource protection and sustainable plant production.
Company History
NEXAT GmbH was founded in 2017 by Kalverkamp Innovation, building on years of experience in agricultural machinery development, according to NEXAT.
- Awards and Recognition:
NEXAT has received accolades, including the DLG Innovation Award for its holistic crop production system.
This innovative approach aims to improve efficiency, reduce soil compaction, and enhance overall sustainability in agriculture.
