Ground Support Equipment: Flash Battery technologies take center stage at GSE Expo Europe 2026
27 August 2026
The electrification of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) is transforming the way airports, OEMs and ground handlers design and manage aircraft support equipment. GPUs, tow tractors, pushback tractors, belt loaders, PRM lifts and passenger stairs are evolving toward electric solutions capable of reducing emissions, noise and operating costs without compromising reliability and service continuity.
In this scenario, the battery is no longer simply an energy storage system, but a strategic component of the entire machine architecture. This is why Flash Battery continues to invest in the development of fully customized lithium batteries and increasingly advanced proprietary technologies designed to improve safety, reliability and predictive maintenance in high-duty-cycle applications.
From the development of a new predictive Battery Management System (BMS) based on impedance spectrum analysis, to the integration of gas and aerosol detection sensors, and the latest enhancements to the remote monitoring platform, Flash Battery's innovations are the result of extensive field experience gained alongside OEMs and are designed to meet the needs of a continuously evolving airport industry.
For this reason, Flash Battery will participate in GSE Expo Europe 2026, the leading European event dedicated to aircraft ground support equipment, taking place from September 15 to 17 at FIL – Feira Internacional de Lisboa. With more than 3,700 qualified visitors and over 170 international exhibitors, the exhibition is a key meeting point for OEMs, ground handlers and industry professionals, as well as an opportunity to discuss the technologies shaping the future of airside mobility.
Custom lithium batteries for ground support equipment
GPUs, tow tractors, pushback tractors, belt loaders, PRM lifts and passenger stairs: Ground Support Equipment includes a wide variety of applications, all sharing the need to guarantee operational continuity, safety and reliability even during the most intensive work cycles. In this context, lithium batteries represent a key technology for supporting the electrification of airport fleets, helping to reduce emissions, noise and operating costs.
For more than 12 years, Flash Battery has supported international OEMs and ground handlers in the development of custom lithium batteries designed around the specific application requirements of each vehicle. This consultative approach has led us to develop battery systems installed on a wide range of airport vehicles, operating in major international airports across Europe, the United States and the Middle East, with advanced architectures designed for 24/7 operations.
In the airport industry, vehicle availability is an essential requirement. For this reason, every battery is designed considering not only range and performance, but also powertrain integration, safety, ease of maintenance and service continuity throughout the vehicle's entire lifecycle.
Thanks to proprietary control electronics and a tailor-made design approach, Flash Battery lithium batteries enable airport vehicles to operate reliably even in the most demanding applications and under different environmental conditions. Our battery packs stand out not only for their highly customized and integrated design, but also for their exceptional application versatility. Equipped with advanced electronics, remote connectivity and sophisticated safety systems, they ensure maximum reliability even in the most complex and demanding operating environments.
Electric Ground Support Equipment ecosystem powered by Flash Battery lithium batteries, designed to ensure operational continuity in airside airport applications.
From electric GPUs a practical experience for Ground Support Equipment
Flash Battery's experience in the airport sector has translated into projects developed alongside leading Ground Support Equipment manufacturers, with the aim of designing battery systems capable of meeting increasingly demanding requirements in terms of power, safety and operational continuity.
One example is the development of a range of high-voltage lithium batteries for electric Ground Power Units (GPUs), designed for an international manufacturer specializing in aircraft ground support equipment.
The project originated from the need to enhance a previous modular solution by improving integration within the machine architecture while increasing reliability, safety and ease of management. Flash Battery developed a fully integrated high-voltage battery system designed to concentrate high power in a compact footprint and ensure consistent performance even in airport applications characterized by continuous operation.
Compared to the previous configuration, the new architecture enabled:
- A reduction in the number of installed components;
- Simplified system assembly;
- Improved overall GPU reliability;
- Optimized integration with the machine powertrain;
- Increased operational continuity in 24/7 applications.
Today, these batteries power Ground Power Units operating in international airports across Europe, the United States and the Middle East, confirming the value of a fully customized design approach for Ground Support Equipment applications.
The experience gained through this project has also contributed to the development of the new technologies that will be presented at GSE Expo Europe 2026.
High-voltage battery pack specifically designed and engineered by Flash Battery for electric GPUs and custom solutions in the GSE and industrial sectors.
