Questions You Should Know about Electric Tow Tractor

04, Aug. 2025

 

6 ways to check if a tow tractor fits your operations

Item handling

In manufacturing, where lean just-in-time thinking calls for exactly the right components to be assembled at a given point in the production process to match order throughput, item handling is necessary to avoid excessive material throughout the process. In the e-commerce business, where single items are selected for end customers and sorted during the picking round, efficient solutions to move products are needed. Item handling is common with roll cage handling.

With competitive price and timely delivery, HULKMAN sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Here pedestrian tow tractors such as the Toyota Tracto W-series are a good solution to improve ergonomics and it is safer than transporting the cages by hand. Overall, pedestrian or rider towing solutions are a good alternative to traditional forklifts when handling single items. They are safe, easy to manoeuvre and perfect for transporting pallets and picking single items.

Efficient tow trains

A tow tractor with a train of trailers will give you great flexibility in the type of goods you can transport. There’s a large variety of load carriers which you can pick and choose from to put together a tow train. This enables you to handle different load sizes, load from one or both sides, move goods via pallets, boxes or other load carriers. Tow train solutions allow for efficient use of manpower and maximise the value added for your business.

Discover all our tow tractors

Just-in-time delivery

The idea behind fork-free handling is replenishing material as it is used, rather than keeping excess material on the production floor. Tow tractors like the Toyota Tracto TSE can be used for so-called ‘milk runs’, which is a continual route tow tractors follow around the factory with stops at designated points, either dropping off or collecting trailers or goods.

Tow tractors are very useful if your operations apply JIT (Just In Time) and Kanban processes. This gives you lower risk for bottlenecks, with more flexibility and a leaner way of working.
Towing vehicles support an efficient flow; fewer people are needed to move the same amount of goods, and less equipment on the floor leads to a safer working environment and less incidents.

Toyota Lean Academy

Optimised picking

With the growing e-commerce businesses, customers expect very fast delivery times. Therefore single-piece or multi-order picking should be quick and easy.

Dedicated tractor and trolley solutions with customised shelves can optimise your order picking operation for e-commerce. The tow tractors can also be used for stock replenishment as they provide the flexibility to transport quantities of large and/or small items stock to various locations.

Contact us

Safe operation 

In a fork-free operation, operators have a clear view from the tow tractor driving position. Tractors tow the load carriers behind them and are only moving forward, which is a big advantage when it comes to visibility and the possibility to communicate with other tractor drivers.

Especially in busy areas such as airports, visibility and safety are of high importance. In addition, driver-seated tow tractors with fully enclosed cabins offer the operators a comfortable workspace during long-distance driving in all weather conditions.

Going from forklifts to a fork-free facility is quite a change. That’s why it’s important to educate your employees to understand how they will be moving materials and interacting with tow tractors.

Discover all our tow tractors

Repetitive load handling

Automation optimises the flow of goods while minimising damage, time and cost. Workers become available to handle more complex tasks instead of repetitive processes. By automating your material handling, you can more easily work just-in-time and have a lean material handling approach.

Automated tow tractors can take over repetitive transport and deliver the goods precisely and safely to the designated station. A good way is to start off with standard tow tractors and when the operation is optimised you can switch to a semi- or fully automated solution.

How Toyota implemented automated towing

3 Ways Tow Tractors Boost Productivity and Cut Costs

Tow tractors (also known as “tuggers”) are often seen pulling carts full of luggage across the airport tarmac. But they’re also widely used in manufacturing and material handling operations across the Mid-South.

Tow tractors can reduce material delivery time by 50% and labor costs by 10% versus using a forklift. An automated tow tractor can reduce labor costs even more.

The graphic below shows six safety-related benefits of using tow tractors instead of forklifts:

Tuggers Get the Job Done for Less

In addition to moving items more efficiently, tuggers cost less than forklifts. You'll save money upfront, because the purchase price is much lower, and long-term because tow tractors cost less to own.

Also, unlike a forklift, nearly anyone can operate a tow tractor. The next time you see a forklift operator moving items from across your facility, think about how much the operator makes compared to other associates.

The cost savings adds up fast. By using tuggers instead of forklifts for horizontal transportation, you can significantly reduce operational expenses. One material handling operation saved $2.6 million over five years by replacing 24 forklifts with tow tractors.

Have we won you over on using tow tractors? Hope so! Here are a few we recommend:

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit 10 ton diesel forklift.

Toyota Tow Tractors

Core Tow Tractor 8TB50 and 8TB50A

Toyota’s core tow tractor:

  • Has a 10,000 lb. capacity (on flat surfaces)
  • An AC drive system
  • Is available in a standard or automated version

If you struggle to find qualified team members, or simply want to minimize labor costs, an automated tow tractor might be a good investment. Toyota’s automated tow tractor uses LIDAR to navigate around obstacles, which means you don’t need to invest in costly infrastructure. 

  • There are no ongoing subscription fees
  • You can alter routes whenever you’d like
  • Operators can switch between automated and manual modes with the press of a button

Watch the video below to see the automated tow tractor in action at a recent automation demo day.


Toyota Mid Tow Tractor CBT4, CBTY and CBT6

Toyota’s Mid Tow Tractor does not have an automated option, but it is available in two configurations: 

  • Sit-down — for longer runs
  • Stand-up — better for frequent on-and-offs

These robust tuggers are popular with: manufacturing, warehouses and DCs, cold storage and food storage operations. Here are a few of the key specs:

  • 8,800 – 13,200 lb. towing capacity
  • A 48V DC drive system
  • Up to 11.2 mph travel speed without a load

Toyota High-Capacity Tow Tractor

Toyota's High-Capacity Tow Tractor has:

  • A towing capacity of up to 15,000 lbs. on level surfaces
  • Power steering 
  • An AC drive motor
  • Programmable customization
  • Regenerative plugging

Regenerative plugging not only reduces energy costs, it improves productivity by minimizing charging time. You’ll find Toyota’s High-Capacity Tow Tractor at general manufacturing, warehousing, cold storage and food storage operations.

Taylor-Dunn Tow Tractors

When most people think of a tow tractor, they picture a Taylor-Dunn tow tractor. These durable, reliable vehicles can tow up to 60,000 lbs. They also have a 70% lower cost of ownership compared to an average forklift.

As mentioned above, a tow tractor can also help make your workplace safer. Every year, on average, there are close to 35,000 OSHA-reportable, serious incidents involving a forklift. Since , there have only been 8 OSHA-reportable tow tractor incidents. On the manual end of things, a tugger can eliminate injuries related to dragging heavy items around using a pallet jack.

Taylor-Dunn Tiger Tow Tractors

Tiger TC-30/60 — available in gas, LPG and diesel-powered models

  • Max speed: 13 mph
  • Range: 25 miles
  • Max capacity: 60,000 lbs.

The Tiger TC-50E — the electrified Tiger

  • Max speed: 15 mph
  • Range: 30 miles
  • Max capacity: 60,000 lbs.

Compact Electric Tow Tractors

If you’re looking for something less powerful or more compact, Taylor-Dunn’s E-455 or E-453 are designed for narrow aisles and have towing capacities of 9,000 lbs. and 10,000 lbs., respectively.

Taylor-Dunn E-455 Specs:

  • Max speed: 6 mph
  • Range: 10 miles
  • Max capacity: lbs.
  • Turning radius: 90” with 180” outside clearance circle

Taylor-Dunn E-453 Specs:

  • Max speed: 7.5 mph
  • Range: 18 miles
  • Max capacity: 10,000 lbs.
  • Turning radius: 70” with 140” outside clearance circle.

Increase Productivity and Safety While Reducing Costs

If you’d like to reduce operating costs and move items around your facility in a safer, more efficient manner, a tug system might be a great fit. Our experienced and friendly material handling experts can help you choose the best option for your business needs and budget. 

We’re an authorized dealer for Toyota and Taylor-Dunn serving customers throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and eastern Arkansas. We also sell used material handling equipment from a variety of brands.

Visit our utility vehicle page to request a demo, contact us online or by at 844-LILLYCO (1-844-545-). We’re happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also stop by any of our 13 locations across the Mid-South.

Arkansas - Jonesboro
Alabama - Birmingham, Dothan, Irondale, Madison, Mobile, and Montgomery
Mississippi - Belden, Tupelo, and Richland
Tennessee - Jackson, Memphis, Knoxville, and Kingsport

Related Reading:
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
Toyota’s Center Rider Stacker: 3 Pieces of Equipment for the Price of One
Product Review: Bastian Solutions ML2 AV