Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has handed over an all-electric refuelling vehicle, based on the Mercedes-Benz eEconic, to service provider Skytanking at Stuttgart Airport. The vehicle will be used to fill the tanks of airplanes with kerosene, marking a significant step towards sustainable ground handling operations.
The manufacturer collaborated with tank body specialist Esterer to design the vehicle, which features a 40,000-litre refuelling tank. The energy for the refuelling pump is sourced directly from the vehicle’s batteries, providing an environmentally friendly refuelling solution.
“The development of a high-performance commercial vehicle with a total weight of over 50 tons was a special challenge for us,” said Julia Esterer, Managing Director of Esterer GmbH. “The selection of the right components was decisive in order to achieve optimum performance at the interface to the high-voltage technology. Today, we can present a comprehensive solution that is forward-looking, both economically and environmentally.”
The Mercedes-Benz eEconic is a low-floor truck, standing at less than 2.8 meters in height, allowing it to fit under the wing of an airplane. The cab design offers the driver unobstructed visibility, enhancing safety during ground handling operations.
Equipped with two electric motors capable of generating up to 330 kW of continuous power, the eEconic can be charged with up to 160 kW. According to Mercedes-Benz, the vehicle at Stuttgart Airport requires one hour of charging per day, providing enough energy for uninterrupted ground handling operations.
The all-electric refuelling vehicle will serve as a test vehicle in the finalize! project, part of Stuttgart Airport’s climate strategy STRzero, which aims to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040.
“We are delighted that our locally CO2-neutral eEconic is in demand for an increasing number of applications and is now being used with a tank body for the first time,” said Franziska Cusumano, Head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks. “As an all-electric truck, it will help reduce emissions in ground handling operations at Stuttgart Airport.”
