A Long Winter in Europe

February 2013 has witnessed the strikes of snow in most European countries which has left this grand land smothered in a serious whiteness. However people still brave the freezing coldness and enjoy what life could possibly offer. Probably this winter is nothing when compared to the economic crisis that this continent has been confronted for the recent years. According to WITS (World Industrial Truck Statistics), West Europe countries have recorded an 8% decrease in the first 11 months of 2012 with a total of 236,682 units of industrial trucks having been sold out, as compared to 252,088 units during the same period in 2011.

Market Trend in Forklift Industry

While people are struggling to get economy back on track, the approach Europe takes is cleaner and greener. 2012 has seen the market’s increasing tendency to choose cleaner material handling solutions. 81.4% of the industrial trucks sold in 2012 are electric, a slight 1% increase compared to last year’s 80%.

Unlike automobile industry where full electric vehicle hit the road only few years ago and only very few car manufacturers like BYD could offer mass produced electric vehicle, electric technology has been long before adopted and widely applied in material handling industry, especially in forklift trucks and warehousing equipments. Past decades have seen the transition from DC technology to AC technology, an impressive advancement in terms of energy efficiency and ease of operation; however people fail to find a better power technology than the existing Lead-acid technology to elevate the performance of forklift to a new high level. At least it is fair to say that not until now could people find an affordable alternative solution! Not until BYD unveils its Lithium-iron Phosphate powered forklift truck in LogiMAT 2013, Stuttgart, Germany.

LogiMAT 2013, Stuttgart

LogiMAT is an annual trade fair in Germany for distribution, material handling and information flow with a fast growing influence around the world. The three-day exhibition this year has attracted a total of 29,500 visitors to Messe Stuttgart where 1,003 exhibitors from 26 countries have showcased their finest technologies and lasted products, regardless of the tough weather condition.

Approaches to Greener and Cleaner Solutions

LogiMAT has reflected industry’s endeavor to find the better energy solution. Hybrid, bio-fuel, Li-ion and clean diesel are all hot topics discussed in the forums. Among all these solutions, Li-ion has been deemed as the most probable one. Market leaders like BT, Jungheinrich, Linde and Still have all displayed their products with Li-ion battery technology. However a lot of problems come along with the Li-ion battery, such as hiking cost and safety concerns under extreme situation.

BYD’s first public appearance in Europe announces its contribution to solving the drag-on problem. The answer given by BYD is its Fe battery technology. BYD product family could meet various customer demands, product range including counterbalance forklift, pallet truck, stacker and reach truck. And all these products are powered by BYD’s Fe battery, otherwise known as Lithium-iron phosphate battery.

BYD’s Another Dream

Lithium-iron phosphate battery offers materials handling operator not only emission-free operation but also significantly lower costs when compared to the conventional lead acid technology which dominates the market today. The BYD Lithium-iron phosphate battery consumes around 40% less electricity than an equivalent lead acid battery while offering the following additional benefits:

• Extraordinarily long life cycle (4000 cycles which is equivalent to 10 years of normal 1 shift operation) at nominal service temperatures.

• High charge efficiency (98%).

• Maintenance free. No messy electrolyte refilling needed.

Together with what mentioned above, Lithium-iron phosphate batteries also provide a more effective way to store and supply electricity than traditional lead acid batteries. The charging time could be reduced to 1 to 2 hours whereas it takes 8 to 12 hours to charge the traditional Lead-acid battery. Thanks to fast charging during breaks and work interval between the shifts, Lithium-iron phosphate batteries could significantly increase productivity by eliminating the need for battery change and saving precious time in a rapidly-moving environment.

Mr. Contijoch, who joined BYD after 16 years experience in top level automotive sales and marketing management positions (at Lexus and VW Group) and 10 years in the logistics sector (at UPS and others), added: “Lift truck operators and the dealers who serve them should be looking closely at the BYD range. It doesn’t just offer total environmental friendliness but substantial and immediately accessible operating cost savings when compared to the conventionally-powered machines. BYD is going to be a major force in the European lift truck market and visitors to LogiMAT can get an exclusive preview of our plans and products”, said Mr. Contijoch.

With the successful debut in Stuttgart and the confidence given by both the product itself and enthusiastic partners, BYD sails out to build a comprehensive sales and after-sales service network throughout Pan-Europe and builds another green dream for the material handling industry. Is it a dream? Yes, but BYD is making it come true.