EUROPEAN PREMIERE IN HEAVY HAULAGE: GOLDHOFER E-POWERPACK MOVES GAS TURBINE THROUGH BERLIN

Not every innovation begins with a big bang. Sometimes it starts with a simple question: Where can new technology already deliver real value today?
The answer came in the heart of Berlin at the end of July. At the BEHALA RoRo terminal, a Siemens Energy gas turbine weighing approximately 430 t was moved for the first time in Europe using a fully electric E-PowerPack.

On July 24, 2026, a European mainland premiere took place in the center of Berlin: At the BEHALA RoRo terminal, a Siemens Energy gas turbine weighing around 430 tonnes was transported for the first time using a fully electric E-PowerPack from Goldhofer AG. For Goldhofer, this deployment represents far more than a technical milestone. It is tangible proof that a series-produced electric solution for defined heavy haulage applications is already operating successfully in the field today.

Since 2012, BEHALA has been responsible for the onward transportation of Siemens Energy gas turbines manufactured in Berlin. More than 300 turbines have been moved via Berlin’s waterways during this period. The logistics processes are well established, but the operational requirements remain demanding.

One particular challenge is the location of the transport route. The turbines move through a densely populated urban environment where residential areas, transport infrastructure, and industrial facilities coexist in close proximity.

For BEHALA, one aspect was especially important: The E-PowerPack is not a vision or a technology demonstrator. It is a market-ready solution designed for real-world applications.

During preparations for the Berlin operation, BEHALA emphasized that the same transport task with the same payload had to be completed as before, with only the propulsion system changing. As requirements for noise and emissions reduction in urban areas continue to grow, the E-PowerPack is seen as a targeted response to specific challenges without claiming to be a solution for every heavy transport application.

"Anyone moving a 430 t gas turbine through a living city carries responsibility, not only for the transport itself but also for the people living along the route. That is exactly why the E-PowerPack convinced us," said Leon Tietz, Head of Logistics at BEHALA. “The E-PowerPack allowed us to carry out the transport significantly more quietly and with zero local emissions, without compromising performance or ease of operation. In a city like Berlin, issues such as noise, emissions, and public acceptance will become increasingly important in the future.”

The technological foundation of the E-PowerPack originates from an industry where electric drives have been performing successfully under extreme conditions for many years: aircraft towing on aprons. Goldhofer’s fully electric aircraft tow tractors have been moving aircraft weighing up to 350 t for many years. The expertise gained in energy management, thermal performance, operational endurance, and system availability was directly incorporated into the development of the electric drive unit for heavy-duty transport modules. The result is a series-produced electric PowerPack delivering approximately 340 hp, featuring a new system architecture, energy-optimized control technology, and full telematics integration via Goldhofer »LINK«. At the same time, features such as the new radio remote control, lateral tilting display, and digital user interface provide a high level of operator convenience in day-to-day operations.

"With the first practical deployment of our E-PowerPack in Europe, we are demonstrating that electrification in heavy haulage is no longer a vision of the future," said Matthias Ruppel, CEO of Goldhofer AG. “For us, the goal is not to electrify every application. The goal is to provide solutions where they already create real value today. That is exactly what the E-PowerPack was developed for. It combines the performance and precision our customers expect with significantly reduced local emissions and noticeably lower noise levels. The successful operation in Berlin proves that this technology is market-ready, economically viable, and fully capable of handling demanding heavy transport operations.”

For Goldhofer, the successful deployment in Berlin does not mark the end of a development journey, but rather its beginning. Wherever heavy transport operations take place in urban environments, industrial facilities, or emissions-sensitive areas, the demand for quiet and locally emission-free solutions is increasing. With the E-PowerPack, customers already have access to a series-produced technology specifically developed to meet these requirements today.