Lufthansa deploys electric tugs on Frankfurt airport
Lufthansa will be the launch customer for the Phoenix E electric tractor from German manufacturer Goldhofer. LEOS, the Lufthansa Group’s specialized handling division, will start using the trailer at Frankfurt Airport.
The all-electric vehicle can move aircraft weighing up to 352 tonnes. Meanwhile, the equipment will be used for all transfers within the airport: short- and long-haul transfers between parking areas, maintenance hangars, and remote boarding positions. The maximum speed of the aircraft – while towing aircraft – is twenty-five kilometers per hour.
The battery of the Phoenix E has a capacity of 165 kilowatt-hours, and the equipment has a power of 240 kilowatts. Because the tractor lifts and locks the aircraft’s nose wheel, the transport process is faster and maneuvering easier than with bar tugs. While the energy requirement for up to twenty tows per day – the average number per vehicle at Frankfurt Airport – is twice the capacity of the equipment’s battery, the lithium-ion battery system allows for quick recharging during short breaks between jobs.
The Phoenix E is charged with «green» electricity, as the Lufthansa Group has been relying exclusively on green electricity for its operations in the German market since 2020.
See also: Lufthansa Group and its Premium Economy core product
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