Fraport has placed two new electric Goldhofer E-Phoenix towbarless aircraft tractors into service at Frankfurt Airport, expanding its fleet of battery-powered ground support equipment. A third unit is scheduled for delivery later this year.

The tractors are designed to handle aircraft weighing up to 352 metric tons, allowing them to tow a range of widebody aircraft. Each unit is equipped with a battery capacity of approximately 240 kWh and can be recharged in about 1.5 hours using fast-charging infrastructure.

The E-Phoenix tractors are part of Fraport’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions from ground operations and replace conventional diesel-powered equipment with electric alternatives. Aircraft towing is among the more demanding GSE applications because of the power required to move large aircraft and the need to maintain equipment availability throughout airport operations.

Fraport has been expanding its electric GSE fleet at Frankfurt through investments in charging infrastructure and new equipment. The airport operator is also testing and deploying alternative propulsion technologies as part of its broader decarbonization strategy.

Goldhofer’s E-Phoenix series is designed for zero-emission aircraft towing and incorporates electric drive technology intended to reduce operating noise and maintenance requirements compared with conventional diesel-powered tractors.

The additional tractors will support aircraft movements at Germany’s largest airport as Fraport continues its transition toward lower-emission ground handling operations.