Frankfurt Airport (Fraport) has announced further advancement of the electrification of its vehicle fleet, introducing its fully electric E-Phoenix model Goldhofer aircraft tugs into operation.
Thus far, two vehicles have entered operation on the apron, and another has been ordered with support from the Hessian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas, which provided funding of 171.7 million EUR as part of the ‘Promotion of Electromobility’ programme.
Goldhofer’s latest E-Phoenix model is capable of moving large passenger aircraft, features a battery capacity of roughly 240 kilowatt-hours, and can be fully charged in approximately 1.5 hours using its fast-charging function.
A ‘towbarless’ tractor, the tug operates by driving directly up to an aircraft, handling and lifting the nose gear off the ground, and moving it without the need for a traditional towbar. It can tow wide-body passenger jets weighing up to 352 tonnes, and is equipped with a 700V “IonMaster” thermo-controlled lithium-ion battery system (typically 165 kWh) and a 240 kW drive motor.
