Hamburg Airport is currently testing the use of a specially converted baggage tractor with Hydrogen powerThe objective of the practical test is to investigate the feasibility of converting existing vehicle fleets for low-emission ground operations. This measure is based on the results of international studies from the Interreg BSR HyAirport project and is intended to test the theoretical findings in practice.
The new prototype was developed by HTM Hydro Technology Motors from Bingen am Rhein. It is based on an existing natural gas model (Mulag 4CNG) and has been converted to run on hydrogen. The test, which is scheduled to last six to nine months, will focus on testing the hydrogen drive under real-world conditions on the airport apron. The test will analyze the technical functionality, fuel consumption, and economic feasibility of wider application. The test is deliberately taking place during the busy summer months to cover a broad range of applications. Currently, around 60 baggage tractors are in operation at Hamburg Airport; one of them now runs on hydrogen instead of natural gas.
The hydrogen refueling infrastructure required for the test is being provided by Ryze Power with a mobile refueling unit directly at the airport. The project is being supported technically and economically, including analyses within the framework of the North German Real-World Laboratory (NRL) , a collaborative project involving 50 partners from industry, science, and politics. Back in 2019, Hamburg Airport participated in an earlier hydrogen-based tug project, in which a first fuel cell-powered vehicle was developed in cooperation with Mulag. This model was subsequently tested for its suitability for winter conditions at international research locations such as Bristol Airport, Cranfield University, and most recently, Riga Airport. The current test in Hamburg now goes a step further by integrating a hydrogen combustion engine into an existing production vehicle. HTM is using a novel hybrid combination of a hydrogen combustion engine and an electric drive system that is exclusively fueled with hydrogen.
The test findings are not only relevant for Hamburg Airport. As the lead partner of the EU-funded BSR HyAirport project , which investigates hydrogen solutions in the European airport environment, the airport is sharing its results with other airports that could also convert their vehicle fleets. Current studies within the project highlight the potential of hydrogen for ground operations, particularly with regard to infrastructure, economic viability, and scalability. According to these studies, hydrogen offers advantages over battery-electric solutions, especially for energy-intensive vehicles such as baggage tractors or winter service vehicles, including short refueling times and consistent performance at low temperatures. The BSR project connects airports in the Baltic Sea region to promote knowledge transfer and technological solutions for a future-proof airport infrastructure.