An airport in the Netherlands has started operating the world’s first fully electric TaxiBot, which is designed to tow passenger aircraft from the gate to the runway while keeping their engines switched off.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, also known as Schiphol Airport, unveiled the system in May 2026, together with easyJet, Airbus, ground-handling company Menzies Aviation, and supplier Smart Airport Systems.

The electric TaxiBot is now transporting Airbus A320 aircraft to the Polderbaan Runway. This is the airport’s longest and newest runway, measuring 2.36 miles (3.8 kilometers). It is also the most distant runway and the one with the longest taxi times.

“By deploying the TaxiBot, we’re taking another practical step towards reduced emissions and noise on the apron,” Esmé Valk, Royal Schiphol Group people and transformation chief, revealed. This is how we’re creating a healthier and cleaner workplace, and an ever more sustainable and modern airport that is ready for the future.”

How TaxiBot works

The TaxiBot is a specialized tow vehicle that connects to an aircraft’s nose wheel and transports it across the airport at speeds of up to 23 knots (about 26 miles per hour, or 42 kilometers per hour). It can reduce fuel use by up to 65 percent before takeoff, while lowering emissions and noise.

In contrast to conventional airport tugs, the electric TaxiBot is controlled directly by the pilot from the cockpit. Meanwhile, aircraft engines remain off during the journey from the gate to the runway. They are once again started shortly before departure.

Once the aircraft reaches the runway, the TaxiBot disconnects. An operator drives the vehicle back to the terminal area to assist the next flight. “With TaxiBot, we are taking a tangible step towards making our operations at Schiphol more efficient,” William Vet, easyJet’s director for the Netherlands and Scandinavia, pointed out.

Schiphol selected the Polderbaan Runway for the rollout because it’s the runway with the longest taxi time. This can reduce fuel consumption by up to 65 percent. At the same time, lower fuel use also cuts carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and (ultra)fine particle emissions.

Cleaner airport operations

Still, the aircraft tug does far more than just slash emissions. Reduced engine use means cleaner air for the employees working on the apron and lower exposure to pollutants generated by aircraft during ground operations. It additionally reduces noise levels and creates a more comfortable working environment around aircraft stands and service areas.

The electric TaxiBot joins two hybrid TaxiBots that have been towing KLM Boeing 737 aircraft to the same runway since 2022. It is being deployed on four of the Airbus A320neo aircraft, allowing engine-off taxiing to the runway.

“This immediately leads to lower fuel consumption, emissions, and ground noise,” Vet concluded in a press release. “This is only possible thanks to the commitment of our partners, and in particular the Menzies Aviation team, who play a crucial role in our ground operations.”

Schiphol currently runs the world’s only electric TaxiBot. The airport expects three additional electric units to arrive later this year. The expansion will allow the technology to support more aircraft types. Schiphol is also working with KLM Cityhopper and industry partners to certify the system for Embraer aircraft, while Transavia plans to participate with its Boeing 737 fleet.

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China has officially started construction on a massive new ship lock system at the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower dam, which is set to nearly double cargo capacity along the Yangtze River.

Valued at USD 11.4 billion (CNY 77.2 billion), the project is considered the biggest infrastructure investment on the world’s third-longest river in decades. It includes the construction of a new five-stage ship lock system, often described as a “water staircase” or “water elevator.”

It will allow larger vessels to pass through the Three Gorges Dam more efficiently. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Monday, June 8. The construction effort will take a total of 112 months, or about 9.3 years.

“The project will significantly improve efficiency for the implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy and support domestic economic circulation,” Liu Weiping, Three Gorges Group president and dam and future locks operator, said.

Expanding Yangtze capacity

The system will have a 22,000-foot-long (6,680-meter) two-way lock channel with five consecutive stages. It will moreover allow 11,000-US-ton (10,000-tonne) class vessels to pass through the dam more quickly and efficiently than before.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the initiative will also include wider approach channels upstream and downstream, along with new navigation facilities. Once completed, the novel facilities will raise annual cargo capacity at the Three Gorges Dam to 370 million US tons (336 million tonnes). That is nearly twice its current capacity.

The expansion is set to reduce transportation costs and boost logistics efficiency across the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the backbone of the nation’s economy. It generates more than 40 percent of the country’s total economic output. Spanning 11 provinces and municipalities, the river corridor supports almost 50 percent of the nation’s population.

“The old Three Gorges locks and ship lift have become a chokepoint,” Ministry of Transport representatives pointed out. “Even the boldest planning [decades ago] failed to anticipate the huge rise in passengers and cargo flows along the Yangtze today.”

Modernizing river transport infrastructure

The project has been included in the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). It forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen domestic transportation networks and support economic growth.

The Yangtze River has become increasingly important for manufacturers moving raw materials, industrial components, and finished goods between China’s coastal regions and inland provinces. However, rising river cruise traffic has placed extra strain on the existing navigation infrastructure.

Cargo volume passing through the existing locks first exceeded their 110 million-US-ton (100 million-tonne) design capacity in 2011. By 2025, annual throughput at the dam had climbed to 191 million US tons (173 million tonnes).

The new project represents the largest infrastructure effort on the Yangtze River in decades. It surpasses the scale of any major work undertaken since the Three Gorges Dam began operating in 2003.

Officials said the expansion has become necessary as growing shipping demand continues to strain the existing facilities. The development aims to strengthen the Yangtze River’s role as a crucial transport route.

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