New Delhi – Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has released the Electric Agricultural Tractors — Test Code, developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), aimed at ensuring the safety, reliability, and performance of electric agricultural tractors through uniform and standardised testing protocols across the country, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
The newly notified standard, IS 19262:2025 – Electric Agricultural Tractors — Test Code, establishes a common framework for stakeholders by defining uniform terminology, general guidelines, and comprehensive testing procedures. These include tests for power take-off (PTO) power, drawbar power, belt and pulley performance, vibration measurement, specification verification, and inspection of key components and assemblies of electric agricultural tractors.
The standard draws technical inputs from IS 5994:2022 – Agricultural Tractors — Test Code, along with relevant Automotive Industry Standards for electric vehicles, suitably adapted for agricultural applications. Its implementation through authorised testing institutes is expected to support wider adoption of electric agricultural tractors, encourage innovation in clean agricultural technologies, and contribute to reduced emissions and sustainable farm mechanisation.
Test data generated under the procedures prescribed in IS 19262:2025 will provide a scientific basis for evaluating the performance and safety characteristics of electric agricultural tractors. This data is also expected to aid in the future development of acceptance criteria and conformity assessment schemes specific to electric tractors. By introducing structured and uniform testing processes, the standard seeks to help manufacturers deliver reliable and safe products, while offering farmers and consumers greater confidence in the performance and capabilities of electric tractors.
Electric agricultural tractors represent an emerging and significant segment of India’s farm mechanisation ecosystem. Powered by battery packs and electric motors instead of conventional diesel engines, these machines have evolved rapidly in recent years due to advances in battery technology, electric motors, and power electronics.
As a sustainable alternative to diesel-powered tractors, electric tractors offer several advantages, including reduced emissions, lower operating costs, and improved energy efficiency. By eliminating tailpipe emissions at the farm level, they help reduce air pollution and lower the carbon footprint of agricultural operations.
For farmers working long hours in the fields, electric tractors provide a healthier work environment, with substantially lower noise levels and no exposure to exhaust fumes. Additionally, with fewer moving parts than diesel engines, they promise lower maintenance requirements, reduced operating costs, and enhanced operational efficiency. Their adoption also contributes to reduced diesel consumption, lowering dependence on fossil fuels and conserving natural resources used in diesel production.
With the growing interest in electric agricultural tractors, the absence of dedicated and harmonised testing procedures had posed challenges in consistently assessing their performance, safety, and reliability. Responding to this gap—and following a request from the Mechanisation and Technology Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare—the BIS prioritised the development of a dedicated Indian Standard for electric agricultural tractors.
The formulation of IS 19262:2025 involved extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including electric tractor manufacturers, testing and certification agencies, research and academic institutions, and experts in agricultural engineering and electric mobility. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, ICAR–Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (Bhopal), Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (Budni), Tractor and Mechanisation Association (New Delhi), Automotive Research Association of India (Pune), and the All India Farmers Alliance (New Delhi) played an active role in the standard’s development.
The voluntary notification of this standard marks an important step in strengthening India’s standardisation framework for emerging agricultural technologies, while aligning domestic practices with evolving global trends in electric mobility and farm mechanisation.
With inputs from IANS