Edmonton International Airport Winds Down Winter with All-Electric De-Icing Vehicle from Aero Mag

As winter winds down for another season, Edmonton International Airport and its partner Aero Mag are celebrating a successful trial of a new vehicle that will help reduce carbon emissions and maintain aircraft safety during cold weather. 

De-icing is a major part of safety operations at any cold-weather airport and as a major northern airport, Edmonton International is a leader in winter operations. De-icing is the process where vehicles spray down planes before take-off during winter periods when frost or ice may build up on a plane’s wings or other vital aircraft parts. Ice can be a major safety concern that interferes with a plane’s mechanical components.

In Edmonton, and at several other major airports, de-icing services are run by an independent third-party company named Aero Mag, headquartered in Montreal. Aero Mag has been an important part of EIA’s operations for many years.

This past winter EIA became the second airport in Canada to trial a new all-electric de-icing vehicle. It’s the first of its kind for the Canadian company, which normally runs diesel-powered trucks for de-icing. The electric-beta arrived in Edmonton in early in 2022 and has been deployed in multiple weather conditions to help field test it for further operations and production.

“EIA has a history of embracing innovation in winter operations and this isn’t the first time we’ve helped trial new technology at our airport,” said Steve Maybee, Vice President of Operations and Infrastructure for EIA. “We support the development of technology that helps reduce carbon emissions, by offering field tests and a living laboratory environment. Often companies will have challenges finding real-world opportunities to test new equipment. Offering this opportunity fits our values of reducing our emissions and our mandate of supporting economic development.”

The batteries in the vehicle will allow it to operate for eight to 10 hours. It’s designed with additional efficiencies including a new radar system for the spray nozzle and Precise Position System which positions the nozzle at the ideal distance on airplanes for the best application of the de-icing fluid. This reduces heat loss. Overall, the electric vehicle reduces emissions by roughly 35 tons of CO2 equivalent annually per vehicle.

With winter season winding down, EIA and Aero Mag will review the vehicle’s performance with the potential of future use in coming cold weather seasons.

Aero Mag’s new all-electric deicing vehicle