Goldhofer SHERPA E Electric Cargo and Pushback Tractor
Battery-electric cargo/baggage tractor with pushback capability for aircraft up to 50 t MTOW - indoor-capable, zero emission.
The SHERPA E is the battery-electric model in Goldhofer's SHERPA family of cargo and pushback tractors, built in Memmingen, Germany. It offers the same comfort, safety and performance as the diesel SHERPA D on a shared modular platform, but with a zero-emission power train that also permits indoor operation - relevant for cargo terminals and baggage halls as well as open apron work.
Two factory configurations are published: the SHERPA E6 with a single 40 kWh battery, 35 kN drawbar pull and a maximum towed load of 60 t, and the SHERPA E8 with two 40 kWh batteries (80 kWh total), 42 kN drawbar pull and a maximum towed load of 80 t. Goldhofer's family overview lists electric drive outputs of 40 kW and 60 kW across the SHERPA E line. Beyond cargo and baggage towing, both configurations are suitable for pushback: the SHERPA is rated to move aircraft up to 40 t MTOW (E6) and 50 t MTOW (E8), which makes it a practical multi-purpose unit for business aviation terminals and regional operations that want one vehicle for freight, baggage and light aircraft handling.
Energy storage uses Goldhofer's IONMASTER technology with 400 V lithium-ion batteries proven in the commercial vehicle industry. The modular battery system is expandable and configurable to the deployment profile, with active thermal management heating and cooling the cabin and all high-voltage components - including during charging - to protect battery life. Charging works with all standard plugs (CCS Type 1, CCS Type 2 and GB/T), with rapid DC and intermediate opportunity charging at up to 70 kW and optional AC charging at up to 22 kW.
The vehicle is offered in three cabin designs (cabless, open cab and closed cab) with ballast weight options of 4, 6 or 8 t for traction, and has a small turning radius of 4.12 m. Standard ambient rating is -20 °C to +42 °C, extendable to -25 °C to +52 °C with the Arctic and Tropical kits. Specifications are from Goldhofer's SHERPA Family brochure (08/2025, metric edition; data accuracy +/-3% per Goldhofer).
Technical specifications.
| Aircraft pushback capability | up to 40 (E6) / 50 (E8) t MTOW |
| Max towed load | 60 (E6) / 80 (E8) t |
| Drawbar pull | 35 (E6) / 42 (E8) kN |
| DC charging | up to 70 kW (CCS Type 1/2, GB/T; opportunity charging) |
| AC charging (optional) | up to 22 kW |
| Turning radius | 4.12 m |
| Ambient rating | -20 to +42 standard; -25 to +52 with Arctic/Tropical kits °C |
| Electric drive output | 40 / 60 kW |
| Battery | 1x40 (E6) / 2x40 (E8) kWh, 400 V lithium-ion |
| Ballast weight options | 4 / 6 / 8 t |
Available variants.
Use cases.
- ›Electric cargo and baggage train towing on the apron and indoors in cargo terminals
- ›Business jet and regional aircraft pushback up to 50 t MTOW
- ›Multi-purpose GSE for FBOs and smaller airports consolidating freight, baggage and aircraft moves in one vehicle
- ›Zero-emission ground handling with fast DC opportunity charging