Electric forklifts, electric karts or conventional cars — powered by Linde Material Handling

particular are focusing on new emission-free vehicle concepts in order to reduce the impact of transport on humans and the environment. The automotive and component supply industry as well as research institutes are working on development projects worth billions of euros involving various concepts and technologies. In the past, the world has hardly taken notice of the industrial truck industry, which has seen the manufacture of electric forklifts and warehouse trucks for decades. Before the official opening of the 2011 StaplerCup, Linde Material Handling (LMH) presented its extensive expertise in electric drive technology, acquired over four decades, to the press.

"The industrial truck industry keeps a close eye on the automotive sector, which has given it a significant head start when it comes to electric drives. Whereas electric cars are only slowly gaining in popularity among consumers, intralogistics would be unthinkable without battery-powered forklifts. Our existing expertise is extensive and can provide important momentum for electric transport," Theodor Maurer, CEO of Linde Material Handling, explained to members of the press.

Over recent decades, in addition to developing hydrostatic drives for industrial forklift trucks, construction, forestry and agricultural machines, Linde Hydraulics, an LMH business field, has also acquired comprehensive technology expertise in electric drives. In mobile hydraulics today there are hardly any drive systems left which do not use electronics as the "brains" for the hydraulic "muscle".

Likewise, Linde MH has been manufacturing electric forklifts for forty years with tremendous success. The drive technology, electronics and control have been tried and tested a thousand times over and consistently developed within the company. The product range includes electric motors with outputs of 1 to 35 kW, integrated into forklifts and warehouse trucks. Approximately 400,000 motors are manufactured annually, including innovative drive systems like the electronically controlled compact drives for "steer by wire" functions, in which the motor, transmission, control, power electronics and sensors are integrated as one module component. The teamwork between the drive developers and forklift developers always produces new practical solutions.

With the recent introduction of its new generation of electric forklifts with a load capacity of two to five tonnes, Linde MH has impressively fortified its claim as a technological leader in electric forklift trucks. Forklifts and warehouse trucks are no longer its only focus. "Know-how and technology in electric drives have been available since 2010 to external customers as well. The knowledge acquired from these sources is, of course, being incorporated back into our development," explains Maik Manthey, Head of Electronic Systems and Drives, pointing out that the desired exchange of technology is then reinvested into forklift development.

If the development of an electric cart driven by forklift components (electric lifting motor, lithium-ion battery and electronics), which recently set a world record by accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.45 seconds, is still an exciting showpiece, then the two-way electric shunting device, "Rotrac E 2" from Zwiehoff, and the small car based on a FIAT 500, the "new500E powered by Linde Material Handling" from KARABAG in Hamburg, are two applications in a series of innovations which will set trends for the future, asserts Manthey.