John Deere unveils ExactShot, fully electric excavator at CES 2023

As the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off today, John Deere announces two new technologies – ExactShot and a fully electric excavator – during the keynote address. This important opening session featured John May, John Deere CEO. He is the first ag tech executive to lead this keynote.

• READ MORE: John Deere CEO to address technology’s role in feeding the world at CES 2023

Jahmy Hindman, CTO at John Deere, says “Everything we do at John Deere is focused on real purpose and real impact. This means we’re developing technology that enables our customers to provide the food, fuel, fiber, and infrastructure that our growing global population needs.”

• READ MORE: SF Q&A: Jahmy Hindman

ExactShot

ExactShot enables farmers to reduce the amount of starter fertilizer needed during planting by more than 60%, notes Deanna Kovar, vice president, production & precision ag systems at John Deere. Rather than apply a continuous flow of fertilizer to the entire row, the technology uses sensors and robotics to place starter fertilizer precisely onto seeds as they are planted in the soil. Using a sensor to identify when each seed is planted, ExactShot then applies only the amount of fertilizer needed, about 0.2 ML, directly on the seed as it goes into the ground.

Kovar says that across the U.S. corn crop, ExactShot could save over 93 million gallons of starter fertilizer annually and prevent wasted fertilizer from encouraging weed growth or increasing the risk of running off the field into a waterway.

• READ MORE: John Deere wins two CES innovation awards

Fully Electric Excavator

Powered by a Kreisel battery, the fully electric excavator will lower daily operating costs, reduce noise pollution, improve machine reliability, and offer zero emissions without sacrificing power and performance. Deere acquired majority ownership of Kreisel in early 2022, which has a facility in Austria. In September 2022, Deere announced an investment in two additional Kreisel Electric production facilities to increase battery production capacity. This expansion will bring an increase of over two Gigawatt hours to Deere’s total battery production.

Kreisel’s patented immersion cooling architecture provides lifetime, enhanced safety, and improved performance for battery-powered equipment. The company’s charging technology enables faster, lower-cost connections to the electrical grid.

• READ MORE: John Deere ramps up battery production with Kreisel Electric

The 2023 CES marks the fifth consecutive year John Deere has participated at CES. Each year, the company highlights the importance of innovation in agriculture.

• READ MORE: John Deere showcases ag tech at the Consumer Electronics Show