Clean farming: BIS notifies India’s first testing standard for electric tractors; aims to boost adoption
India has taken a step towards cleaner farm mechanisation with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) rolling out the country’s first testing standard for electric agricultural tractors. The new standard, IS 19262:2025 titled Electric Agricultural Tractors – Test Code, was released on December 24 by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi at Bharat Mandapam on the occasion of National Consumer Day, PTI reported. Developed by BIS, the standard lays down uniform testing protocols to assess the safety, reliability and performance of electric tractors, a segment seen as key to reducing emissions and operating costs in agriculture. The test code covers evaluation of power take-off (PTO), drawbar power, belt and pulley performance, vibration levels, and inspection of critical components and assemblies. It draws from existing standards for conventional diesel tractors and electric vehicles, suitably adapted for agricultural applications. “The implementation of this standard through authorised testing institutes would facilitate wider adoption of electric agricultural tractors, promote innovation in clean technologies, and contribute to reduced emissions,” an official statement said. Electric tractors, which run on battery packs instead of diesel engines, are seen as offering lower operating and maintenance costs, reduced noise and improved energy efficiency, while eliminating tailpipe emissions at the farm level due to fewer moving parts. The standard was framed following a request from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Mechanisation and Technology Division, with inputs from tractor manufacturers, testing agencies, research bodies and technical experts. Contributors included the ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute, Tractor and Mechanisation Association, and the Automotive Research Association of India. Although voluntary, the standard provides a scientific framework for evaluating the performance and safety of electric tractors. It is expected to support future acceptance criteria and conformity assessment schemes, while giving farmers greater confidence in adopting electric tractors as their use expands.
