In its effort to go fully electric over the next couple decades, United Airlines unveiled the service vehicle of the future: an all-electric super tug that can lift and haul a 400,000-pound jet.
“This thing’s been a game changer,” said Charles Hinkle, United’s airport operations manager at SFO. “It’s like the Tesla of super tugs.”
Tugs are used to haul jets in and out of gates. The majority of the tugs operating at SFO run on diesel fuel, spewing pollution into the environment. While there’s been a gradual switch to electric tugs for the smaller passenger jet, the larger international planes need some extra muscle.
Enter the Goldhofer E-Phoenix — a German-made electric tug that comes in distinctive bright orange and can lift the airline’s largest jets up to the massive Boeing 777.
“One hundred percent electric, it has zero emissions,” boasted Hinkle. “It can move six to eight aircraft with one charge.”
United Airlines is the first airline at SFO to incorporate the new electric super tugs. The airline bought two, which cost $700,000 each, bringing its total number of tugs to 15. Hinkle said the airline hopes to add two or three more to its roster at SFO next year.
“At that point we’ll start to sunset the older fleet of the diesel operated tugs,” Hinkle said.
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The advent of new electric super tugs comes as airlines and airports look for ways of curbing pollution in their operations. Airlines are on the precipice of transitioning their planes to new sustainable aviation fuels and scouring their systems for any places to steer away from fossil fuels.
“The super tug is a really important piece for us because it’s a diesel big unit,” said David Page, United’s managing director of operations at SFO. “To convert one of those to an electric piece – which we’re using throughout the day, 15 or so hours — that’s a lot of fuel and a lot of impact.”
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Page said United has lofty aspirations of eventually weening its entire operation off fossil fuels while investing in companies aimed at developing the future of sustainable aircraft.
“United’s obviously made a big commitment to going to 100% green by 2050,” Page said. “So we’re on the journey now and we’re looking at every opportunity to get there.”
Aviation expert Michael McCarron said SFO has been working to green its operation for over two decades, becoming one of the first airports in the nation to install ground power units at gates so jets don’t have to run their own engines for power.
The airport has cut its carbon footprint by some 39% in the last decade. McCarron said back when the airport was installing the ground power units, there was also a desire to switch to electric tugs.
“Other companies looked at getting electric tugs at that time, but it really wasn’t feasible because the battery storage power wasn’t there," McCarron said.
But the progression of technology has made the effort to go green a little easier. The advance in battery power has now paved the way for an electric super tug that has enough power to lift large planes, with the battery power to keep it going for a full shift.
“The technology’s come online where they can use battery powered tugs and other service vehicles to service the aircraft and tow them around the area," McCarron said.
Hinkle, who owns a Tesla, said the new electric tugs are not only zero emission, they’re also smooth to drive. He looked on as one of his crew pulled the Goldhofer E-Phoenix up to a passenger jet sitting in the maintenance yard and effortlessly lifted its nose off the ground.
With United’s first two new tugs already on the job at SFO, it seemed some bragging rights were in order.
“Ultimately I know the other airlines talk about clean air,” Hinkle said. “But we’re acting on it.”
