Goldhofer’s electrically powered »PHOENIX« E towbarless aircraft tractor was shortlisted for the German Sustainability Award 2021, a national award for excellence in sustainability in business, local government and research. With its 700 V lithium-ion battery technology, the zero-emission powerhouse makes light work of moving cargo and passenger aircraft with a take-off weight of up to 352 tons including wide-body aircraft. At Munich Airport, where the goal is carbon-neutral operation by 2030, the »PHOENIX« E has now completed an intensive test phase, proving that electric ground handling is feasible without any loss of performance. “We were delighted to be among the finalists and proud of such recognition of our work on sustainable airport apron vehicles,” says Lothar Holder, CEO at Goldhofer Aktiengesellschaft and Head of Airport Technology.
As the flagship among Goldhofer’s towbarless aircraft tractors, the zero-emission »PHOENIX« E offers the same range of performance in terms of tractive power, maneuverability and reliability as the diesel version, plus additional advantages such as lower operating costs and longer maintenance cycles. The power is delivered by a high-performance electric drive combined with 700 V lithium-ion battery technology, which has already proved with electric commercial vehicles. In addition, the TMS system (Thermo Management System) that is part of the »IonMaster« concept is the key to long battery life. It also provides very short charging times, and supports fast and opportunity charging at all standard AC and DC charging points with up to 150 kW. The 220 kW direct drive guarantees reliable aircraft handling with towing speeds of up to 32 km/h.
