The arrival of electric forklift trucks has meant an essential step forward in the sector’s environmental sustainability
The electric forklift trucks produced by BYD Forklifts, a subsidiary of the Asian giant BYD, are becoming consolidated in the sectors that are most highly committed to the environment, thanks to their clean energy source. Their lithium iron phosphate batteries have a low energy consumption; they do not generate any gas and they are simpler than hydrogen cells as they do not involve the handling of liquefied gases or the equipment necessary for this.
At the same time, with their ultra-fast charging, they can work for many hours at one go, recharging the battery during the shift change breaks. Two 15 minute charges are enough for a working day of up to 16 hours, avoiding the inefficiency linked to frequent change of batteries, the space used for the loading area and reducing energy consumption.
BYD forklift trucks also reduce total operating costs, estimated at 40% less in the maintenance and operating expenses associated with forklift trucks.
BYD Forklift offers a range of over 20 machines on mainland Spain, designed with the latest criteria in efficiency, ergonomics and safety.
For the fruit and vegetable growing sector, BYD is proposing new models in 2018: the electric forklift truck Model ECB16D or ECB18D in compact format, which completes the current range of 1.6 forklift trucks up to 5 tonnes and the pallet truck PTW20S. The new models meet the many applications requested by the sector: four-wheel access to trucks, demanded by transport in the Cross-Docking business; a feeling of greater stability at height in warehouses that rule out the use of tricycles; 4 narrower wheels, with a width of 1.1m and a working aisle of 3.5 m and the more economical alternative to 4 wheels in the series ECB20C to ECB27C.
All the BYD counterbalances have 80V batteries, with a fast charging speed (1 hour from 0 to 100%, in the case of the 1.6 and 1.8 tonnes).
The storage machines use 24V lithium iron phosphate batteries and they also charge in around one hour, from 0 to 100%. They have an 8-year or 10,000 operating hours guarantee, ensuring a residual capacity of 65% at the end of the guarantee period.
