Kassel, 22.09.2010 – Some crime thriller scenes are
so predictable and stereotypical that practically everyone knows them. For example, a prison escape – as the experienced TV viewer knows – begins most times in
the prison laundry: when nobody is looking, the runaway vanishes in a laundry bag and then makes his getaway
– hidden under a pile of sheets – in the laundry truck.

Presumably many an inmate in the Kassel I Penitentia-
ry also shares this dream. The largest prison in Hesse is a maximum security penitentiary. The approximately 600 prisoners come from more than 60 different coun-
tries. For the most part they are serious offenders who in most cases have to serve long prison sentences.

When the brick building was put up almost 130 years ago, it was still in the open. Today, however, it is located – surrounded by a playing field, a botanic garden and many single-family homes – in the middle of the city. The gigantic prison building with its five meter high walls is

Unsuitable as a getaway vehicle – With its conspicuous signal yellow paint finish and top speed of 28 km/h, the VOLK Electric Tow Tractor
EFZ 25 N is hardly suitable as a getaway vehicle for a prison escape

Behind bars – The architecture of the brick buildings of the Kassel Penitentiary somewhat resembles protestant church buildings, however the approximately 600 inmates have broken at least one of the ten commandments

That’s hardly surprising, considering the fact that about 300 prisoners are employed here. In addition to a joiner’s shop and a metalworking shop, there is also a bakery and even a book bindery. And of course there is a prison laundry, too.

At the Kassel Penitentiary, four VOLK Industrial Trailers and one VOLK Electric Tractor EFZ 25 N are used for transport tasks which need to be done in the work-
shops. Thanks to its beefy and straightorward character the tractor has quickly earned respect even from the toughest jailbirds. And owing to its outstanding inner attributes – something you wouldn’t normally expect “behind bars” – the EFZ 25 N has excellent ratings:
from state-of-the-art AC technology with energy recovery to the aquamatic system for the traction batteries, the vehicle is equipped with practically every feature tech-
nically possible in an industrial tow tractor today.

The only thing the tow tractor is absolutely not suitable
for is use as a getaway car. Although it enables abso-
lutely silent movement thanks to its quiet electric drive, it