Environmental concerns and health and safety requirements have stimulated a growth in the use of electric vehicles on airports, and particularly airside. Since they first came on the scene around 15 years ago, electric vehicles have been mainly used for maintenance, moving people and equipment and baggage and cargo handling.
“Electric vehicles have to be available airside because of security and other restrictions,” says Oliver Kesy, head of marketing at Mulag. “Many airports don’t allow diesel or petrol powered vehicles inside buildings, so electric vehicles are required to move baggage and cargo. We even have electric conveyor belt vehicles which can push the baggage into the aircraft.”
Once airports and airlines realised the advangtage of using electric vehicles in these traditional applications, they began to look at new areas in which electric units may be beneficial. Catering companies use electric to carry food to the aircraft; electric vehicles help to push back aircraft; firefighters and snow and ice clearing vehicles have also been produced in electric versions.
Now manufacturers are widening the field of usage still further. Dutch manufacturer Spijkstaal Elektro, a dedicated supplier of electric vehicles, produces a small bus for moving people which it is planning to improve for delivering crew to and from aircraft.
A Schiphol company which cleans aircraft seats is beginning to use electric vehicles to take cleaners and their equipment to the aircraft. This fits in with KLM’s target of a completely ‘clean’ way of cleaning, in which only chemical-free detergents are used.
“But electric units need to be competitive in terms of mileage costs,” warns Eric Lampier, sales director at Spijkstaal Elektro. “If they are not economic, no one will buy them.”
The company’s new 7.5 tonne Ecotruck 7500 garbage truck, launched last year, must be cost-effective, because Spijkstaal Elektro is now making one a month. Schiphol was the first customer, using the Ecotruck to collect airside garbage bins. The Ecotruck, which can also be supplied with a fixed cargo-box and tail lift, is equipped with air suspension, a pneumatic/hydraulic braking system with ABS and modern lithium ion batteries. It can be used for up to 100 km before needing re-charging and has a maximum speed of around 40 km/h.
Schiphol and KLM are now jointly looking at other applications for electric vehicles – for technical services, water trucks and mobile offices – as part of their goal to reduce carbon emissions. As Lampier emphasises, “everything which is used for up to 20,000 km per year on airside can be electrified successfully”.
Spijkstaal Elektro, which manufactures electric vehicles up to 30 tonnes in size, has now signed a contract to supply UK-based Smith Electric vehicles in the Benelux. “Smiths vehicles are based on commercial truck technology,” Lampier explains. “If demand for their units increases sufficiently, we may start assembling left-hand drive vehicles for Europe.”
Smiths’ improved payload performance on the Edison model (an all-electric version of the Ford transit van) may help stimulate that demand. Edison vehicles can now travel up to 80 miles on a single charge in urban applications, possibly more on airports. A fast-charge version can be re-charged in less than four hours and the unit can be plugged in for top-up charges at any time.
Mulag updated its 3E Comet tractor last year to increase battery capacity and improve the way in which it is charged, allowing it to be charged every eight-10 hours at a faster rate. The modular design enables it to be configured for use in different situations. An open driver stand or closed cab can be provided and better visibility enables drivers to see the rear tow hitch.
Italian supplier Alke launched a van version of its XT model last year. The XT, which initially came out at the end of 2010, is bigger and more powerful than the company’s ATX, but each be used for the same applications. But the ATX280E is, says the company, the most suitable of its models for airport work because the battery can be removed for charging and a new, fully-charged one slotted in, enabling the unit to be used non-stop. In addition, the cooling system is designed for hard, continuous working conditions. The ATX280E has a 3,000 kg towing capacity and 1000 kg loading capacity.
Alke is bringing out an airport service kit for the XT model to provide special protection on the lower front, rear and sides of the unit, as well as signalling accessories, such as flashing lights. “Potential contact with other vehicles or equipment is easier on airports than in other environments,” says a spokeswoman. “The service kit will ensure the units aren’t damaged.”
Airports choose electric for a number of reasons. As already mentioned, some ban diesel and petrol powered vehicles from entering buildings, especially terminal buildings, which means electric units are essential to collect and deliver baggage and, in some cases, cargo. There are also compact and can enter small spaces – but claims that they are more manoeuvrable are debateable.
“Electric vehicles are not really more manoeuvrable,” Kesy believes, “and they’re not as powerful as motorised vehicles. But they do have extremely powerful accelleration and braking capacity, which is a valuable advantage in airside applications.”
Electric vehicles are also seen as the most environmentally friendly, as they do not emit any CO2, although one must take into account the effect battery construction and use has on the environment.
Batteries themselves constitute the greatest disadvantage in using electric vehicles: they only have a limtied running time before re-charging, which means they are not always available when needed, and airports have to set aside space for them to be re-charged.
Fast-charging systems can reduce charging time from eight-10 hours to just three or four, but i doing so, they also shorten the overall life of the battery. “A battery life of four or five years can be cut to three if fast-charging is used,” says Lampier. “As the energy package is a big percentage of the total cost of ownership, users have to weigh up the pros and cons before opting for this system.”
Without proper cooling systems, fast charging can also lead to overheating, which could cause an explosion no airport wants to see.
But without fast charging, Lampier admits, airports have to plan the use of their electric fleet very carefully. “Take the case of the cleaning company,” he suggests. “If the aeropolane is 10 or 15 minutes late, the cleaners have to be flexible enough to respond to that. If they are using an electric vehicle, they have to know that vehicle will be available whenever they need it.
“The same is true with crew transport. It is hard to predict when crew will arrive at the airport – and they, too, are affected by delayed flight arrivals. The crew won’t want to be hanging around waiting for an electric vehicle when they want to get to their aircraft.”
Mulag’s hybrid unit combines electricity with diesel power to overcome some of these problems. “The unit switches from one to the other as required,” says Kesy. “So it can switch off the diesel engine when it goes indoors, and turn it on when more power is required.”
Now Mulag is working on a fuel cell version of its Comet 3 towing tractor. Due to be field tested in Germany late winter or early spring, the fuel cell model, called H2Logic, should be available as an option by the end of the year or early 2013.
“The electricity required to power the vehicle will in turn be powered by a chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen,” Kesy explains. “The fuel cell is the same size as a battery but can be filled at an ordinary filling station, with hydrogen instead of diesel. It has zero emissions, but produces water and a little heat which can be used to heat the driver’s cab in winter.
“Several manufacturers are looking at fuel cell technology, but we’re not worried about being first to market: it’s more important to ensure the technology is reliable.”
Technological developments will probably increase the price of electric vehicles – but the improved systems will ultimately be more cost-effective and more efficient. Unfortunately, cost remains a major deterrent to potential customers.
“Electric vehicles will always have limits,” Lampier admits. “But some airports are accepting these limits in order to reduce emissions. Airports in the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia are prapred to pay more to improve the environment. Others, like Belgium and France, aren’t. Governments which claim to be concerned about the environment could help – by banning the use of diesel-powered equipment in warehouses, for example. The use of electric forklifts went up in Holland when the Dutch government banned diesel powered trucks from entering warehouses.”
Governments could also offer tax incentives to airports which purchase electric vehicles or provide grants for their use. But these are all big asks. It is really up to the aviation industry itself to decide to go electric, for the sake of their staff, their customers and the environment.
