Plant & Works Engineering April 2022

46 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk April 2022 performing highly effectively within the type of harsh environments that historically only diesel trucks would be considered suitable for. Perhaps the single biggest technological advance behind the upsurge in electric truck sales is the arrival of the lithium-ion battery. While lead acid remains by far the dominant battery type within the electric-powered forklift market, sales of Lithium-ion forklifts have been on a sustained upward curve for some time. Although it is estimated that in the region of 90% of all electric forklifts in operation throughout the world are still running on lead acid batteries, the Lithium-Ion solution has now become well established as a viable alternative. Indeed, nearly a quarter of all Toyota electric-powered forklift trucks ordered for delivery in the UK now feature Lithium-Ion battery (LiB) technology. Today, Lithium-ion is revolutionising the way that some companies operate their intralogistics processes. Lithium-ion batteries have the ability to be recharged in as little as one hour - which increases a truck’s overall availability. One hour’s charging will give in the region of 4 to 5 hours of operating time. Also, as these batteries allow for opportunity charging, trucks can be recharged anywhere by the operator during breaks in a shift or other periods of downtime. As a result, there is no need to swap batteries - so dedicated charging rooms and spare batteries are not necessary. Hydrogen fuel cells are also emerging as another viable alternative to lead acid batteries. At the present time, Hydrogen only becomes financially realistic where in the region of 90+ trucks are in operation at one location due to the significant investment required in hydrogen generation and storage systems, so the potential user market is currently somewhat limited. But large fleet operators are keen to embrace the technology and Toyota Hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts are already operating at sites across the Nordic region and Europe as well as Australia. Meanwhile in the automotive sector Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Mirai is at the forefront of a new age of hydrogen fuel cell cars that deliver long distance zero- emissions driving. Of course, as with any new development, when the product matures the price will drop and there is every reason to believe hydrogen fuel cell power will be within reach of every business with a forklift fleet in the not- too-distant future. But, despite the worldwide rush to eliminate – or at least minimise - the use of fossil fuels and the myriad benefits that electric trucks offer users in terms of running costs, productivity, reduced pollution etc, it Is unlikely that we are witnessing the last days of the diesel-powered lift truck. There are currently still numerous applications, particularly where extra- heavy lifting is involved and truck capacities of 8 tonnes and over are required, where a diesel forklift remains the best option. This might not be the case in 10 years’ time though. Companies considering switching from IC- to electric-engine forklift trucks, should always discuss their options with their MHE supplier who will be able to assess the benefits of going electric for every type of operation. Handling & Safety Matters Focus on: Moving, Lifting & Forklifts