As many of you have correctly pointed out, New Holland’s fuel cell tractor (shown at last week’s Paris show) isn’t the first one.

Allis Chalmers began experimenting with a fuel cell tractor in 1959. Like the New Holland, it used a chemical reaction to produce an electric current that then drove an electric motor.

But while New Holland is the first to choose hydrogen as its main fuel for its tractor, Allis Chalmers opted for propane mixed with other gases. The fuel was carried on the tractor in pressurised containers and supplied a bank of 1008 fuel cells that occupied almost the entire space under the bonnet. The electricity generated powered a 20hp motor.

Although New Holland’s NH2 (right) is the first fuel cell tractor to run on hydrogen, Allis Chalmers’ experimental machine – built in 1959, was the first fuel cell tractor of all – as far as we know!

Although the project failed to make a commercial breakthrough, fuel cells are efficient in the way they convert fuel energy into electricity. With diesel or petrol, about 50% of the available energy is wasted, whereas the figure for fuel cells can be up to 85%.