CARTERSVILLE, GA – Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company and a leading supplier of ground support equipment for the global aviation industry, is proud to announce that it will collaborate with General Motors (GM) and Powertrain Control Solutions (PCS) to electrify its diverse product line.
Together, GM and PCS have developed an integrated driveline, specifically designed for Textron GSE products, that utilizes GM’s lithium-ion battery systems. The driveline will allow Textron GSE to leverage GM’s experience in electric propulsion solutions, honed over more than 25 years of developing a variety of electric vehicle systems and other zero-emissions innovations. The program also continues a long-standing relationship between GM and PCS, which have worked together since 2013 to integrate GM technologies into products that meet the unique and rigorous requirements of the GSE industry.
“This technology, designed especially for ground support operations, will enable Textron GSE to broaden its electric product offerings across our TUG®, Premier™, Douglas and Safeaero™ brands, and elevate electrification across our entire industry,” said Matt Chaffin, vice president and general manager, GSE for Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. “We are committed to advancing the GSE industry by developing sustainable technologies and leveraging leading technology to electrify the next generation of ground support equipment.”
The high-voltage lithium-ion battery systems to be used in Textron GSE products offer numerous advantages compared to low-voltage systems, including faster charging, longer range between charges, higher operating efficiency and improvements to electronic features like HVAC and advanced driver-assistance systems.
The systems benefit from stringent automotive testing and safety standards and include multiple tiers of safeguards to enhance on-ramp safety. The systems constantly monitor for ground faults, disconnected connectors, or other potential hazards, and include a manual safety disconnect for lock-out/tag-out procedures.
In addition, the systems will incorporate innovative safety features introduced by PCS into the GSE industry, such as electronic transmission controls and an electric parking brake, each of which can communicate with the vehicle’s electric drivetrain and other onboard systems to enhance safety.
“We are excited to integrate GM’s proven electrification product with Textron GSE’s world-class ground support offerings,” said Dan Boucher, president of PCS. "Our focus is to build upon GM’s systematic approach toward safety and efficiency without compromising the performance and reliability that is critical in ground support equipment.
“We look forward to bringing the technology that is revolutionizing the on-highway vehicle market into GSE. This solution leverages safety features, mass production scale, and versatile charging strategies to make electrification a seamless possibility for all airports globally.”
More information is coming soon about Textron GSE’s next generation of electric ground support equipment. To learn more about the latest developments in Textron GSE’s electrification initiative, keep an eye on www.textrongse.com.
About Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc.
Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc. is a leading global provider of ground support equipment and service under the TUG™, Douglas™, Premier™, and Safeaero™ brands. Textron GSE offers a diverse product lineup of conventional and towbarless pushbacks, baggage tractors, tow tractors, belt loaders, single and dual operation deicers, ground power units, air starts, and air conditioning units. These products are built in world-class manufacturing facilities in Cartersville, Ga. and Trelleborg, Sweden, and serviced through airport service locations across the world. Textron GSE operates as part of the Textron Specialized Vehicles business.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.
About Powertrain Control Solutions
Powertrain Control Solutions, LLC (PCS) is a global provider of vehicle integration engineering solutions and advanced propulsion components. PCS is focused on advancing driveline technology in all segments including military, on-highway, industrial and off-road. The PCS engineering team specializes in electric and internal combustion powertrain integration and is a leader in the development of automatic transmission control modules. The integration solutions are complemented with a cloud connectivity team that is focused on IoT, telemetry and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) services. PCS maintains state-of-art US production lines for printed circuit board assemblies and wire harnesses.
Certain statements in this press release may describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.