A Second PHOENIX E Added to the Lufthansa LEOS GSE Fleet

Following a convincing performance of its first PHOENIX E, LEOS has acquired a second battery-powered towbarless aircraft tractor from Goldhofer. The first PHOENIX E battery-powered towbarless aircraft tractor from Goldhofer has been in successful operation at Frankfurt Airport since January 2022. In its first nine months of service, the tow tractor has handled more than 4,000 zero-emission pushbacks and maintenance tows.

Lufthansa LEOS is committed to an ongoing shift to sustainable, zero-emission ground operations and in this context has chosen to invest in the battery-powered towbarless aircraft tractor from Goldhofer. Following the success of the first PHOENIX E at Frankfurt Airport, a second, identical model is now going into service, and further purchases are already being considered.

In this initial period of service with Lufthansa LEOS, a wealth of operational data has been generated – including the fact that the PHOENIX E has already traveled more than 25,000 km.

“Our drivers are thrilled with the vehicle,” says Peter Unger, CEO at Lufthansa LEOS. “The figures so far exceed our expectations and have enabled us to take a huge step forward in zero-emission ground handling. So now we want to follow up with a second PHOENIX E in order to achieve our goals even faster.”

Frankfurt Airport’s first PHOENIX E performs up to 26 tows a day thanks to the IonMaster technology employed by Goldhofer, an efficient and powerful electric drive concept with 700 V lithium-ion batteries from Borg Warner/Akasol. In addition, the Thermo Management System (TMS), which is part of the IonMaster technology, maintains a constant battery temperature – for up to 25 percent more range and longer battery life.

“At the same time, we are continuing to upgrade our charging infrastructure in order to make efficient use of our other electric tow tractors,” says Unger.