It all started four years ago with pallet trucks, and since 2017 almost all electrically powered Linde series with a load capacity of up to five tons have been available with an optional lithium-ion battery. Linde Material Handling is now closing the final gaps in its product range, including electric counterbalance trucks that can lift loads of up to eight tons.

"Only a few manufacturers even offer electric forklift trucks in this load capacity class," emphasizes Björn Walter, Product Manager Counterbalance Trucks at Linde Material Handling. "We are therefore proud to now be able to offer a complete solution comprising a lithium-ion battery and charger for these heavy-duty trucks. The advantages of the technology, such as longer availability and no need to change batteries, as well as positive effects such as higher driving speed and positive temperature behavior, are particularly noticeable here."

All models in the series can be equipped with a 90-volt lithium-ion battery, which has a capacity of almost 120 kilowatt hours. Chargers with nine, 17 and kilowatts are available to match - depending on how quickly the battery needs to be (temporarily) charged during use. Thanks to the lithium-ion battery, the maintenance-free three-phase AC drive motors accelerate the truck to 20 kilometers per hour with and without load - a plus compared to the corresponding lead-acid models.

Added to this is the robustness of the heavy-duty forklift trucks with lithium-ion battery - not least with regard to the prevailing ambient temperatures. The 90-volt devices work both in frosty environments and in industrial environments with high thermal loads. Unlike their lead-acid counterparts, the lithium-ion batteries do not heat up and make the usual hour-long breaks to cool down the battery obsolete.

And another advantage of lithium-ion technology is particularly apparent with the large tonnages of six to eight tons: the elimination of battery changes. "A lead-acid battery of this size weighs around three tons and has to be changed using a forklift truck, for example," says Walter. "This not only costs time and money, but also poses numerous risks, such as an employee getting injured or damage to the battery or vehicle."

Less emissions, more sustainability
Lithium-ion trucks also contribute to greater sustainability. This is because they produce fewer_{CO2 emissions} compared to forklifts with lead-acid batteries and diesel drives. The exact amount can be calculated for each application using Linde's Li-ion calculator. And the lithium-ion battery also performs better in terms of other emissions: no harmful battery gases are produced during the charging process that need to be extracted. as