Electric Utility Truck, 1-Tonne Payload
Hawke U2
The 1 tonne utility truck at the centre of the U-series for heavier site cartage.
Tow Tractors
Electric tow tractors that pull the load, without the fumes
If your site moves trailers, cage trolleys, waste bins or trains of carts by hand or by ageing diesel tug, an electric tow tractor changes the economics. Hawke is a British brand building quiet, high-torque electric tugs configured to your ground conditions and towing needs, assembled in the UK and backed by nationwide servicing. This page explains how tow tractors are rated, where they earn their keep and how to size one properly. Tell us the load and we will quote.
In brief
An electric tow tractor is a compact battery-powered vehicle designed to pull wheeled loads, trailers, trolleys or trains of carts across a site rather than carry them. It is rated by draw-bar pull and gross towed load, delivering instant torque with zero exhaust fumes, low noise and low running costs.
Zero fumes
Emission-free at the point of use
24-hour
Priority UK call-out on Hawke fleets
3-year
Warranty as standard
Bespoke
Draw-bar and coupling to suit your loads
Tow Tractors
Payload is the wrong number: think draw-bar pull
A tow tractor is not judged by how much it can carry, but by how much it can move. The figures that matter are draw-bar pull, the force at the coupling, and gross towed load, the total weight rolling behind it. A light tug can shift several tonnes of well-maintained, free-rolling trolleys, yet struggle with a single stiff-wheeled trailer. Always rate the job by the loads, gradients and floor surface, not the tug's own weight.
Tow Tractors
Electric versus diesel and LPG tugs
Diesel and LPG tugs bring torque and long runtimes, but the fumes rule them out of enclosed warehouses, food and healthcare sites, and add ventilation and health obligations. Electric drive gives instant, controllable torque from standstill, near-silent running for shift work near people, and far lower running and maintenance costs. There is no engine to service, no fuel to store and no idling. For repetitive indoor and mixed-site duty, electric is usually the honest choice.
Tow Tractors
Where electric tow tractors earn their keep
The classic wins are cage-trolley trains in retail and distribution, baggage and cart trains at venues and transport hubs, moving trailers and skips between buildings, materials handling on manufacturing lines, and waste and linen rounds across large estates. Anywhere a person is dragging heavy wheeled loads by hand, or a car is being misused as a tug, a purpose-built electric tow tractor is safer, faster and kinder on both staff and the loads.
In detail
What you need to know
Sizing the tug to the job
Start with the heaviest towed load you need to start moving, not the average. Factor in gradients, ramps and floor type, because a slope or a poor surface multiplies the pull required. Consider how many carts you want to link into a single train, the coupling type, and shift length, which drives battery choice. Undersizing means a strained, short-lived machine. We would rather quote you the right size than sell you a struggling one.
Configured, coupled and supported properly
Every Hawke tow tractor is specified around your loads: coupling and draw-bar to match your trailers or trolley trains, lithium or lead-acid batteries to suit shift patterns and charging, and a finish and branding to your specification. Bespoke builds are available for unusual couplings or site rules. You get UK-wide servicing, parts and a 24-hour priority call-out, a 3-year warranty, and worldwide delivery when you need it.
The range
Recommended models
Each is configured to your specification, then finished and delivered ready to run.
Compact Electric Utility Truck, 800 kg Payload
Hawke U1
A compact utility truck rated for 800 kg, sized for narrow paths and daily runs.
2-Seater Electric Pickup Buggy with Cargo Bed
Hawke S2 Pickup
The Max's 5 kW AC platform in a pickup layout, carrying 440 kg over 80 km per charge.
Where it works
Built for your setting
Warehouses & Work Sites
People, parts and loads, cleanly.
Manufacturing & Factories
Move people and loads across the plant.
Ports & Harbours
Crew and cargo, moved cleanly across the quay.
Questions
Frequently asked
An electric tow tractor is a compact battery-powered vehicle designed to pull wheeled loads, trailers, trolleys or trains of carts across a site rather than carry them. It is rated by draw-bar pull and gross towed load, delivering instant torque with zero fumes, low noise and low running costs.
Tell us what you need
Send us your specification, fleet size and where it will work, and we will come back with a tailored quote. We aim to beat any genuine like-for-like price.