The need for greater sustainability, safety and efficiency drives airport ground support operations. And in cargo and baggage handling specifically, fuel and service expenses are the most expensive elements. Today, Taylor-Dunn, part of Polaris Inc., in partnership with A&V Rebuilding, Inc. and LevCon Inc., is introducing advanced lithium technology that can address those needs in an all-new way. The first-ever lithium-ion (Li-ion) Tiger tow tractor is launching today, and will also be on display this week at the GSE Expo in Las Vegas. The innovative technology is engineered into the proven Tiger tow tractor, providing the same uncompromised 60,000 lbs of towing capacity, while offering zero vehicle emissions for increased sustainability, decreased maintenance for greater labor efficiencies, greater cost savings and increased safety benefits.
“The partnership with A&V and LevCon injects decades of learning, refinement and electrical expertise into the all-new Li-ion Tiger tow tractor. Ground service equipment experts A&V Rebuilding have set the standard in remanufacturing high-quality baggage and cargo tractors, while LevCon brings advanced lithium power using industry proven components and technology,” said Keith Simon, vice president and general manager, Polaris Commercial. “Combined with the more than 70 years of industrial equipment manufacturing of Taylor-Dunn, ground support operations get a cutting-edge solution with game-changing benefits to increase productivity and total value.”
“We could not be more excited to unite the trusted Tiger tow tractor and the proven manufacturing capabilities of Taylor-Dunn with this new Li-ion technology for ground support,” said Gerry Hoadley, president, A&V Rebuilding, Inc. “With increased sustainability goals across airports and airlines, this new vehicle helps customers meet and exceed their goals, without ever sacrificing productivity. While we’ve been remanufacturing similar systems for years, the partnership with Taylor-Dunn allows new, electrified vehicles to be brought down the production line at scale to meet the rapidly growing customer demands.”
Lower Cost of Ownership
Tiger TC 30/60 Li-Ion tow tractors simplify maintenance by having significantly fewer parts needing service, repair or replacement, and costly fuel expenses are completely eliminated. In typical ground support applications, investing in a Li-ion Tiger tow tractor could pay for itself in as little as 12 months. Fewer parts also contribute to a longer-lasting drive system – up to three times that of a gas or LPG-equivalent tow tractor. And the electricity required to recharge the Li-ion batteries is as much as six times more cost-effective than gas or LPG fuels.
All new features of the Tiger TC 30/60 Li-Ion tow tractor include programmable regenerative braking which extends vehicle range and reduces brake pad wear. The on-board diagnostics quickly and easily diagnose issues – increasing uptime and eliminating unnecessary downtime. Additionally, a smart industrial charger enables a full recharge in only two hours, further reducing downtime and keeping operations moving efficiently.
Increased Sustainability
The Li-ion Tiger is an all-electric vehicle, which eliminates unnecessary emissions caused by traditional combustion vehicles. To help reduce GSE emissions on the airfield there is a need to overcome charging infrastructure barriers at airports. The new Tiger TC 30/60 Li-Ion comes with multiple charging options to accommodate many types of airport charging infrastructures. These options include Posi-Charge and Minit-Charge, on-board charging using common 110v and 220/240v outlets, along with a multi-charge option that allows for charging virtually anywhere there is available electricity. The tractor is powered by a 20 or 35 kWh industrial-grade Li-ion battery pack, both of which are fully integrated into the vehicle’s battery management system. The 35 kWh packs are heated for optimal charging and extended life through cold weather.
Enhanced Safety
Vehicle electrification unlocks the ability to offer smart technology like the patent-pending anti-rollover system and programmable acceleration and speed. This programmability allows users to manage their operations while meeting safety standards. Easily accessible inching buttons at the rear of the tractor allow a single employee to attach and detach the tow bars. Additionally, inching operations are performed at a very consistent and low speed for predictable operations. Safety is also enhanced through increased visibility due to LED head and taillights as well as orange safety seat belts. Retractable seatbelts provide easy ingress and egress, and include an electronic switch to ensure the operator’s seat belt is fastened before the vehicle is put in motion.
Operations Efficiency
The Li-ion Tiger tow tractor is built on the proven TC 30/60 chassis and will be offered in models that include up to 60,000 lbs of towing capacity. The new Tiger tow tractors will maintain most of its simple, easy-to-use operational controls, hitch options, color options, and durability features. The tractor will be seamless to train operators on and deploy into ground support fleets because of this familiarity.
Debut at International GSE Expo – October 5-7, 2021
The all-new Tiger TC 30/60 Li-Ion tow tractor debuts at the International GSE Expo in Las Vegas, October 5-7, alongside the all-new Li-Ion Taylor-Dunn Bigfoot utility vehicle. The gas- and electric-powered Bigfoot utility vehicles have been airport mainstays because of their range of up to 100 miles, load capacity of up to 3,000 lbs and towing capacity of up to 10,000 lbs. Carts and accessories add to their versatility with customizations for baggage handling, maintenance, ambulance, law enforcement and people movers.
To learn more about the innovative technology, visit the Taylor-Dunn booth OS334 for static displays, or test drive the new Tiger TC 30/60 Li-Ion tow tractor in Demo Booth #2.
