Listen to forklift motive power specialists on the future of power modes and one feeling dominates: the lead-acid battery will not be yielding its throne any time soon. Another is that it will likely be 10-15 years before hydrogen fuel-cell technology will take a two digit share of the forklift motive power market. The time frame for widespread acceptance of Lithium-ion is equally uncertain, as cost, complexity and reliability are major barriers. What can be in no doubt, however, is that diesel, despite all the advantages gained from engine improvements and pollution controls like soot filters and catalytic converters, will lose market share under the remorseless barrage of eco-legislation to fight not just perceived threats from global warming but the serious health risks from air contamination that has now been shown to be a leading cause of lung cancer and soaring asthma rates worldwide. So where does that leave the outlook for alternatives like LPG, CNG, bio-mass hybrids, solar and even magnetic levitation?

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One good reason why lead-acid will not yield much market share soon is that there is still plenty to be had from cost efficiencies via technical developments and simply better care procedures. A good example of the former is Fronius’s new battery charging system, Selectiva, unveiled at the LogiMAT 2013 show in Stuttgart. More than half of the European forklift battery charging systems still rely on the old 50 Hz transformer technology with efficiency levels of around 56%, that is to say 44% of the energy drawn from the socket is lost when the truck battery is fully charged. The latest Selectiva development, however, relying on its Ri charging process, achieves charging efficiency of 90% and the total efficiency value is 84%, a figure that has never been attained before, claims Fronius. Given that electric trucks at point of use are totally clean and quiet their place in sensitive environments like food and pharma, is assured for a good while yet. At a more prosaic level it is probably true to say that substantial gains in battery life can be won simply by following recommended battery care practices more diligently.

In terms of on-demand, 24-hr power performance, LPG has advantages over electric but while much cleaner than diesel, but less so than CNG, it is a moot point to claim that they are desirable for internal use, whatever the gas suppliers claim. The fact remains that their emissions are not squeaky clean and should certainly be avoided in environmentally sensitive areas. Even so, LPG is set to remain a popular choice for outdoor work and CNG could expect a rise in market share.

One may expect solar power to make gains if only because the energy source is infinite and totally clean. Already firms like Honda are using it to power their trucks at its Swindon plant.

On the hydrogen fuel front take up has been patchy, with almost no interest shown in developing countries owing to the high initial costs. The North American market has developed well owing to the special conditions in the US logistics industry and the strong government support for fuel-cell applications. The European market is beginning to stir as prices fall but for a major boost there must be more effort in putting in a hydrogen infrastructure and much also depends on factors outside of the lift truck market.

More futuristic, but certainly not science fiction, is magnetic levitation within warehouses whose infrastructure would do most of the work. Inductrack 111, for example, is a magnetic levitation system designed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Unpowered loops of wire embedded under a conductive floor layer would generate a magnetic flux that would float the Bubblebee forklift, repelling its own permanent magnets. The flux would also be used to create a counterweight effect, eliminating the need for a heavy casting. The system can lift 50 times the weight of these magnets. There would be no drive train and conventional steering and the Bubblebee could articulate around a central pivot, allowing tight cornering in confined spaces. Manufacturers of conventional articulated forklifts may face interesting times. Swarms of these Bubblebees, with zero emissions, would make the warehouse safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly.

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