Lithium batteries for Ground Support Equipment: the Aviogei case study

In airports, operational continuity also depends on the efficiency of the vehicles that support aircraft and passengers every day. Passenger stairs, AmbuLifts, belt loaders, cargo loaders, and other Ground Support Equipment (GSE) perform different tasks, but they all share one essential requirement: being available when needed, often under intensive duty cycles and with minimal downtime.

In recent years, electrification has increasingly expanded into this sector, leading manufacturers and operators to adopt new design and fleet management criteria.

While only a few years ago the focus was mainly on battery capacity, charging times, and purchase cost, the market is now entering a new stage of evolution. Vehicle availability, reduced downtime, responsive technical support, remote diagnostics, and optimization of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) have become decisive factors.

In other words, battery performance can no longer be assessed solely in terms of available kWh. Today, the real challenge is ensuring operational continuity, maximizing fleet availability and minimizing downtime.

It is within this context that the collaboration between Aviogei and Flash Battery was established in 2021, starting with the electrification of an AmbuLift and later evolving into the development of a range of custom lithium batteries designed for different Ground Support Equipment applications.

This project is a concrete example of how a collaboration between an OEM and a battery manufacturer can begin with the needs of a single machine and evolve over time into tailored energy solutions with different capacities, charging methods, and configuration options.

The starting point was not simply selecting a battery to install in the vehicle, but identifying the characteristics the energy system needed in order to meet the actual operating conditions of Aviogei's equipment.

Airport vehicles operate in highly diverse environments. They may work in airports with extremely cold or hot temperatures, undergo intensive work cycles, and adapt to different charging infrastructures depending on the country or airport.

In such a context, service continuity is critical, making energy system reliability a key requirement.

To meet Aviogei's needs, Flash Battery developed a custom solution, working closely with the manufacturer's engineering team and integrating the battery into the vehicle architecture.

Key requirements identified during the project included:

• Compact dimensions to optimize onboard space.
• 76.8V nominal voltage compatible with application requirements.
• Predictive maintenance to provide daily support to the customer.
• High operational reliability under different environmental conditions.
• Charging flexibility via automotive standards or industrial plugs.

LFP cells and BMS for battery system management

Alongside mechanical and electrical customization, Flash Battery's proprietary technology played a key role.

The batteries installed in Aviogei vehicles use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cells, a chemistry particularly valued in industrial applications for its stability, intrinsic safety, and long service life.

This chemistry is complemented by the Flash Balancing System Flash Battery's proprietary Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS continuously monitors battery status, optimizes cell balancing, and helps preserve performance over time.

Remote monitoring and diagnostics to support operational continuity

Another important aspect for airport applications is the ability to monitor battery behavior throughout its service life.

The Flash Data Center Flash Battery's proprietary remote monitoring platform, enables real-time analysis of installed batteries and proactively supports diagnostics and service activities.

This is particularly important in a sector where reducing downtime and maximizing fleet availability have become just as critical as vehicle performance.

Flexible charging for different airports and infrastructures

Special attention was also devoted to charging management.

Since airport infrastructures can vary significantly from one location to another, Flash Battery developed a solution capable of adapting to different operating scenarios, allowing charging through both automotive standards (Type 2) and traditional industrial plugs.

This flexibility improves vehicle adaptability and avoids dependence on a specific charging infrastructure.

For manufacturers, considering this aspect during the design phase helps prevent charging infrastructure constraints from limiting vehicle deployment later on.

What initially started as a collaboration focused on a single application gradually evolved into a structured partnership, leading to the development of a complete battery range for Aviogei's various applications.

Today, Flash Battery systems power almost all of Aviogei's electric vehicle applications operating in more than 180 airports across 120 countries worldwide.

The range includes solutions with a 76.8V nominal voltage and capacities ranging from 280Ah to608 Ah, delivering energy capacities from 21.5kWh to 46.7kWh to meet the diverse operational requirements of GSE applications.

Among these solutions, the 608Ah version represents one of the most advanced battery systems developed for the GSE sector. Thanks to its high energy density, it delivers substantial capacity within an extremely compact footprint, optimizing vehicle integration and increasing design flexibility.

Flash Parallel: modularity for different energy requirements

The battery is also compatible with Flash Parallel technology, which allows multiple battery modules to be connected in parallel, increasing available energy while maintaining integration flexibility.

This approach is particularly valuable for manufacturers developing vehicles with different duty cycles and autonomy requirements.

By adopting a modular approach, the same battery module can serve as a building block for multiple applications, with additional units added whenever higher energy capacities are required.

This modularity simplifies vehicle design, optimizes configuration management, and enables more efficient responses to the evolving needs of modern fleets.