Aviation electrification from the ground to the sky

Just a decade ago, electrifying the aviation industry seemed like a far-off possibility, with the electrification revolution focusing on road transportation. Today, an electrified aviation industry is within reach: All areas of the airport are now possible to electrify, from ground support equipment to shuttle buses, and even some planes. Leading airports are already seeking charging solutions to support the aviation sector’s journey to zero-emissions.

Kempower sees two phases to complete aviation electrification. Phase one, electrifying equipment on the ground using ultra-fast, powerful charging, is already underway, while phase two, the electrification of planes, is just beginning, and has a clear roadmap and early signs of progress.

Phase one: Electrifying ground support equipment

An area of the airport that has seen a lot of recent growth is ground support equipment. Vehicles like pushback tractors, tugs and passenger shuttle buses are all vital to the operation of an airport, but they contribute significantly to the industry’s estimated 2.5% share of all global CO₂ emissions. Leading airports are now taking advantage of recent technological developments in heavy duty electric vehicles and charging infrastructure and investing in electrifying ground support equipment.

How Kempower brought electric aviation to Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands

In 2025, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol recruited Kempower to install three new charging sites at the airport to support its expanded fleet of 58 new electric apron buses and ground support equipment. The move was part of Schiphol’s mission to become one of the world’s most sustainable and high-quality airports, aligning with Royal Schiphol Group’s plans to achieve a fully circular, energy-positive operation by 2050.

Designing the three sites posed two main challenges for the installation team, which are quite typical for an airsite:

Challenge 1: A charging site that supports the day-to-day operations of the fleet vehicles
Schiphol Airport’s fleet of electric buses and push-back vehicles needed to be in operation almost continuously, as the airport operates 24/7. The chargers therefore needed to support high charging speeds and short charging times. Four Kempower Control Units and 12 double-armed Kempower Satellites provide 24 charging points to the airport’s electric apron buses and ground support equipment.
Challenge 2: A charging set-up that enables safe charging.
In Schiphol Airport’s airside area, red zones close to aircrafts make fixed charging installations impossible for safety reasons, despite offering convenient locations for electric vehicles to charge. Installing underground cables or extra-long cables solves this issue by allowing for safe charging outside the red zone.

In this instance, VolkerWessels opted for a long cable, modifying the Kempower Satellite charger to sport a longer cable, adding a few meters onto its usual 5m or 7m design. This simple modification enables the charger to reach the vehicles where they are, saving precious time when charging these vehicles during short scheduled sessions throughout the day.

Using its CCS2 chargers, which are compatible with any type of electric vehicle, Kempower was able to overcome the unique challenges of an airport to deliver charging infrastructure that maintains the efficient operation of Schiphol Airport.

Phase two: Taking electrification to the skies

While charging vehicles on the ground is happening now, electrifying planes themselves is the industry’s next focus.

How Kempower powers new fully-electric plane at Stavanger Airport in Norway

At Stavanger Airport, the design team opted for an underground charger design to fit the requirements of the airsite. Project leader DRiiV Solutions’ team buried the Kempower Control Unit’s 5m-long (16ft) charging cable and the Control Unit itself is kept in a box that can be heated, protecting it from snow and making the charger usable year-round.

With small electric planes for short-haul flights expected to become a familiar sight in the next five years, how should charging infrastructure develop to support their success? Plane OEMs have one main request: higher charging speeds.

Kempower has developed the Kempower megawatt charging system (MCS) based on its market-leading distributed charging system. Megawatt charging represents the new technology that enables EV charging powers of over 1 MW. Kempower has already made several successful MCS installations for electronic truck charging in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, and for material handling at the London Gateway port in the UK. The next stages of MCS will deliver even higher levels of power suitable for even larger vehicles – and electric planes.

Electrifying planes requires innovation in both plane design and charging infrastructure, and Kempower is leading the way on the charging side. Kempower has already delivered its Kempower Control Unit charger to Stavanger Airport to power a new fully-electric plane carrying out test flights between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport, in a trial helping to prove the viability of electric aircraft. This trailblazing project will play a crucial role in accelerating the transition to sustainable aviation through the demonstration flights and infrastructure development.

Kempower can power any type of vehicle with our market-leading distributed charging system. Learn about Kempower’s solutions for airport electrification.