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Hybrid FT7E Tractor Starts Serial Production in Russia
DST-Ural has started serial production of its FT7E hybrid tractor after 350 engine hours of testing in difficult terrain in Altai Krai.
Image: ITzine
Image source: DST-Ural plant.
Chelyabinsk-based DST-Ural demonstrated its FT7E agricultural tractor with a hybrid powertrain at the All-Russian Field Day 2026. The machine was brought to Altai Krai, where it was tested on difficult terrain that can make conventional wheeled equipment lose traction.
Image source: DST-Ural plant.
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The company says the FT7E has completed 350 engine hours of testing. On challenging sections, the tractor maintained pulling force without slipping, a key measure for heavy agricultural machinery.
The project has moved beyond an exhibition prototype. Serial production has begun, with an initial batch of three tractors. DST-Ural plans to assemble another nine machines in Chelyabinsk by the end of 2026. Hybrid systems remain uncommon in Russia’s heavy agricultural equipment market, where established diesel platforms still dominate.
FT7E specifications and equipment
- Weight: 19 tonnes
- Ground pressure: 0.45 kgf/cm²
- Maximum speed: 23 km/h
- Engine: Weichai WP12G, 360 hp
- Fuel tank: 680 litres
- Hybrid system: electromechanical transmission
The FT7E has a panoramic cab, climate control, joysticks for operating mounted equipment, front and rear cameras, engine overload protection, and the ARES intelligent engine-management system. The equipment is intended to reduce operator fatigue during long shifts, rather than serve as a simple feature checklist.
DST-Ural has operated for almost 30 years, producing road-construction and agricultural machinery since 1999. Its most widely produced model is the TM10 tracked tractor, used as a base for heavy special-purpose equipment. The FT7E adds a newer, more specialized agricultural machine to the company’s lineup.
Ilya Ignatov is a technical journalist and news writer. He graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics with a degree in information security and has covered hardware, software, and consumer electronics since 2018.
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via ITzine
