Ground Team Red (GTR), a joint venture between SATS Ltd (SATS) and AirAsia, is running trials for two Hangcha Aviation Tractor Model QSD320-XD3-MAI electric vehicle (EV) that have been leased into their ground handling operations.
The two new EV tractors will be tested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA Terminal 2), as part of its long-term plans in reducing carbon emission.
Ground Team Red (GTR) chief executive officer Musdalifa Abdullah said it will introduce EVs to their operations at KLIA Terminal 2 following a successful trial run that began in August.
“This marks a major step forward in our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the aviation industry. Beyond our commitment to sustainability, today (Oct 16) represents a strategic choice that we believe will yield significant operational savings for GTR.
“We anticipate that the energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs of EVs will not only reduce our environmental impact but also positively impact our bottom line,” he said in a statement.
GTR conducted its full first phase trial run of EV tractors at KLIA Terminal 2 starting in August until mid September this year with the T137-V3 Electric Baggage Tractor model, as to not being heavily dependent on the current fleet of diesel-powered tractors to run their operations.
During the first trial, the company noted that EV tractors could power its ground-handling operations for seven hours on a single charge, and saved approximately 58% of their overall operational cost.
Musdalifa added GTR plans to deploy EVs across various aspects of its operations, including baggage handling, transport, and maintenance services, which represents the company’s significant investment in both technology and sustainability.
