Titan and Electra truck helps airport cut emissions
Titan Aviation and Electra Commercial Vehicles have collaborated on the creation of the Titan-eRR20, a 100 per cent electric aircraft refuelling truck designed to reduce airport greenhouse gas emissions, which will operate at an Irish airport.
The firms say their strategic partnership will mean a significant turning point for decarbonising the airport’s operations. The vehicle is said to be first fully electric refueller in operation in Ireland.
The Titan-eRR20, mounted on an Electra e-Star electric chassis, is adapted explicitly for refuelling operations by Titan Aviation. The electric refuelling system can deliver more than 110,000 litres of Jet A1 or SAF on a single charge at flow rates of up to 2,500 LPM, and its battery can be charged in around five hours using the onboard charger.
The Titan-eRR20 is also equipped with the EZ Control digital refuelling interface, which guides the user through every step of the job, facilitating maintenance and optimising operational safety.
“Emissions reduction is a global goal, but of course, it’s also essential at the point of use,” said Richard Lewis, civil aviation director for Titan Aviation.
“Titan’s fully electric, zero-emission eRR20 has been designed with the operator in mind to offer the best possible working environment in terms of safety, ergonomics, and comfort.
“The airport’s operational staff will be in or around the refueller for their entire shift, so it being electric means they are no longer exposed to the engine exhaust gases from the engine revving to drive the pump, and of course, the noise, heat and vibration of traditional vehicles.
“The Electra chassis offers unequalled ease of access, best-in-class visibility, and intuitive controls. Overall, it’s a much better environment for operational staff to work in.”
In addition, the Titan-eRR20 is said to represent a significant step towards decarbonising airport ground operations. Refuelling currently represents around 19 per cent of an airport’s ground support equipment’s CO2 emissions. Reaching net-zero targets is the primary concern of European airports presently, and the Irish airport purchased the fully electric refueller with an EU grant covering 65 per cent of its purchase.
Electra is a Blackburn, UK-based OEM of battery electric and fuel cell battery electric vehicles, ranging from 7 tonnes GVW upwards. Electra collaborates with major global truck manufacturers to source glider chassis units to build into their products; and venturing into the airport sector is a new step for the zero-emission chassis manufacturer.
“Our strategic partnership [with Titan Aviation] means that we are at the forefront of innovation,” said Ben Smith, managing director of Electra Commercial Vehicles.
“This high-tech, fully electric airport refuelling truck underlines how by working together, we can help eliminate air pollution – the biggest threat to us and future generations.”
He continued: “Our past performance in the waste and temperature-controlled logistics sectors means that we have more than 100 successfully performing zero-emission fully electric vehicles on the road in the UK and Ireland. We are confident that we can emulate these successes in the airport industry thanks to the combined technical expertise of Titan Aviation’s and Electra’s highly trained staff and management.”
