Case IH has moved its ethanol powered tractor initiative from the test bench to the field, launching full scale trials of the Puma 230 Ethanol in partnership with São Martinho, one of Brazil’s largest sugarcane and bioenergy groups. The tractor is now operating in Pradópolis alongside the Austoft 9000 sugarcane harvester, which also runs on ethanol.
The project forms part of Case IH’s expanding decarbonization strategy for Latin American agriculture, positioning ethanol as a practical, scalable alternative to fossil fuels in heavy machinery.
FPT Industrial N67 Ethanol Engine Targets Lower Emissions
The Puma 230 Ethanol is equipped with FPT Industrial’s N67 Otto cycle engine, rated at 234 hp. The powerplant is derived from automotive ethanol technology but adapted for agricultural loads, aiming to cut emissions while maintaining the durability expected from FPT engines.
Ethanol combustion also contributes to noticeably lower engine noise during operation, an advantage for long working days and demanding harvest logistics. According to Case IH, the tractor has already accumulated more than 100 hours of bench testing before entering large scale field trials.
Strategic Partnership With São Martinho Accelerates Validation
Case IH is using São Martinho’s large commercial operations to validate reliability, fuel efficiency, and uptime under real harvest conditions. Early performance has been described as “very satisfactory,” with the company now planning to expand development toward a full portfolio of ethanol powered equipment.
FPT Industrial has also developed the new CURSOR 13 Ethanol engine for the Austoft 9000 harvester working alongside the tractor. Both engines focus on reduced emissions, stable torque delivery under heavy load, and alignment with Brazil’s strong biofuel production capacity.
Next Phase Includes Soil Prep, Planting and Corn Ethanol Operations
After the sugarcane harvest period ends, the ethanol powered Puma 230 will undergo additional tests in soil preparation, planting and other broadacre tasks. Case IH aims to measure autonomy, durability and TCO over a wider workload before moving the technology into future grain harvesters, sprayers and other platforms.
About the Case IH Puma Series
The Puma lineup sits in the 150 to 260 hp segment and is widely used in mixed farming and row crop operations worldwide. Known for efficiency, high torque curves and comfortable operator environments, the Puma range is one of Case IH’s main global platforms.
About Case IH
Case IH, a global brand of CNH, produces agricultural tractors, harvesters, sprayers and precision farming technologies. The company is active in more than 160 countries and is a major player in sugarcane, grain and specialty crop machinery across the Americas.
