Oshkosh AeroTech Commander 15i-E Electric Cargo Loader

The Commander 15i-E is the all-electric variant of Oshkosh AeroTech's Commander 15i container/pallet loader — the mid-size workhorse of the Commander family that has been loading containerised aircraft worldwide for decades, first under FMC/JBT AeroTech and, since Oshkosh Corporation's 2023 acquisition, under the Oshkosh AeroTech name. Where the earlier JBT-era catalogue listed an electric 15i as 'in development', it is now a shipping product in the current line.

Lift capacity is 15,500 lb (7,050 kg) on both the rear and forward platforms — identical to the diesel 15i, so the electric swap costs nothing in capability. The 15i family comes in three configurations (Standard, Wide and Universal) to service containerised commercial aircraft from the B737 up to the A380: main-deck access on narrow-bodies and lower-deck access across the wide-body fleet. A long-duration lithium-ion battery replaces the diesel power module, taking engine emissions, heat and noise off the stand.

Operationally it carries the Commander family's signature systems: the HeliRoll convey system for fast, precise ULD control; optional JetDock automatic docking; optional Aircraft Proximity Detection (APD) sensors; and PLC-based onboard diagnostics with dual-language control options. A swing-out power module gives unrestricted access to the drive and electrical systems for maintenance, and optional iOPS telemetry feeds fleet-monitoring dashboards.

For GCC ground handlers and cargo carriers under airport net-zero mandates, the 15i-E is the natural electrification step for lower-deck loading at wide-body stands — same operator training, same docking behaviour and same global Oshkosh AeroTech parts network as the thousands of diesel Commanders already in service.