The Difference Between An Electric Tug & Electric Tow Tug

For applications requiring precise positioning through pushing and pulling, the design of the tug creates a perfect solution.

With the design delivering equally matched push and pull forces (simply the force a machine can pull or push in newtons or kilogram-force) a tug provides a reliable solution that enables full manipulation and manoeuvrability of heavy loads in any direction.

Understanding how a piece of equipment will connect to your load is critical for any type of material handling equipment. For our electric tugs, we have an array of standard and custom coupling options at our disposal, but the area we assess when looking into the suitability of a tug is whether or not it can achieve weight transfer.

This involves creating a rigid connection to your load through the coupling system. For loads where this isn’t possible, or you have an existing drawbar, we’ll look to utilise the plug-and-play functionality of a tow pin on our MasterTow range.

The nature of the weight transfer system and the electric tug design means that the floor and environment play a crucial role in assessing their suitability for your application. While able to cope with rough flooring and work securely on slopes, electric tugs aren’t best suited to excessive use over rough terrain and obstacles such as drainage grating.

When we assess the suitability of an electric tug, we’ll consider its’ ability to perform in your environment. Where an application has a specific need for predominantly outdoor use in harsh conditions, we’ll look to utilise the unique design of our MasterTows to deliver longevity.