Time was when forklift motive power selections was an exercise of performance power issues, and to a lesser extent hygiene issues where contamination in food and pharma establishments, for example, meant diesel and LPG were eschewed so electric was the only choice. It was a three- cornered fight among diesel, LPG and electric. All that, however, has changed for two main reasons: 1) advances in electric truck performance, particularly from the batteries and chargers, meant diesel and LPG no longer had the upper hand to perform better in demanding conditions and multishift operations, and 2) alternative, renewable fuel sources have become available and proved themselves in the field.
Hydrogen fuel cells have been used in forklifts for several years now but their much higher cost than lead-acid batteries meant that the economic case depended on large fleet users working multishifts. That, however, is not the case with the Chinese company, BYD’s iron-phosphate battery design which can deliver up to 40% cost savings through fast-charging technology, much longer life and environmentally clean disposal. Its 8-year, 10,000-hr battery warranty far outstrips current lead-acid batteries with their limited life and more restricted charging regime. These are not empty, boastful claims from BYD. The technology was confirmed as offering real, added value by an international jury representing economic, science and technical media, and truck buyers agree. Builder’s merchant, Hagebau-Zentrum Altenburg, replaced six competitor’s units with variable BYD trucks which abolished the need to hold expensive spare batteries for two-shift operations, so the technology appeals to large and smaller operators alike.
It is too soon to say if Lithiumion will trump iron-phosphate but there seems little doubt that, even with improvements in battery charger and management techniques, lead-acid will lose market share to both because they are more cost-effective.
The attraction of electric over fossil-fuelled trucks can be further enhanced to the point where the electric power comes free and from a truly ‘green’ source, i.e. solar panels. One such company to prove this point is Suffolk-based removal firm, Safepac Professional Movers, who were considering upgrading their diesel fleet but were convinced to go for Mitsubishi’s EDiA electric trucks, and one reason was their superior power performance over diesel, including acceleration, maximum travel and lift speeds. More tempting, however, was the potential to slash running costs by putting solar panels on the warehouse roof to power the electric charger for the trucks. During the summer when there is more daylight the electricity is almost free and it is even possible to sell some electric back, and there are rebates from the solar panels.
This does not mean, however, that the fossil-fuelled energy providers are not proactive in meeting better environmental goals. In about six months time Calor will be offering a new, renewable fuel source approved by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification scheme, called BioLPG, created from renewable feedstocks like organic plant materials, vegetable oil and animal fats. It offers up to 32% savings on greenhouse gas emissions without cutting performance, based on a mix of 40% BioLPG and 60% conventional LPG. There will be no need for operators to change any of their equipment or to supply infrastructure.
Oh, and by the say, have you heard of another revolutionary motive power about to be used for moving levitated ISO containers through a vacuum-filled tube at over 700 mph? DP World, a global operator of port terminals, who have invested US$50 in Hyperloop One, a US start-up company, hopes to be moving containers from vessels at Jebil Ali port to an inland container port in Dubai by 2018. Passengers may have to wait until 2020.
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