The small "power dwarf" Rotrac E 2 can carry loads up to 200 tonnes and the "new500E" can achieve top speeds of 105 km/h with a range of more than 100 km. They share a common power source: Linde electric motors, inverters, control electronics and extensive know-how, all of which will also provide top performance features for the new electric forklift generation E 20 to E 50 in this or a similar form.

"Over the course of reworking and further developing the original drive concept for the new500E, we were able to almost double the efficiency by using Linde drive technology. Instead of a water-cooled drive with a nominal output of 30 kW as originally planned, we now have a much lighter, uncooled 16.3 kW Linde motor and optimised electronic control," Manthey describes the advantages of Linde technology. "The result is that the new500E now available has significantly more 'boost' than the older, allegedly more powerful version," Sirri Karabag, Managing Director of Karabag GmbH, asserts confidently. The vehicle's range of 100 km is suited to actual urban transport needs. The vehicles will be available in the next few days.

A welcome secondary result is that the costs can also be reduced, so that the vehicle is "absolutely competitive in terms of price" compared to conventional cars and can be purchased for a leasing fee of EUR 299 per month thanks to the promotion being offered by the German Federal Ministry of Transport. Another 200 electric vehicles with Linde drive technology will be supplied by the end of the year. Members of the press were able to see for themselves how the KARABAG and its "siblings" drive as part of the vehicle presentation, and put the vehicles' workmanship to the test on a forklift obstacle course. The first forklift truck driven by pedal power, the H20 "Rider" forklift, also premiered at the presentation. Remarkable and energy efficient — that is, using less "muscle" — it is a three-tonne forklift which uses hydrostatics to operate fully functionally and lift its loads.

"Linde is showing with its new business field, Electronic Systems and Drives, that the company always succeeds in creating new areas of business and developing new application fields for its technology," Theodor Maurer explains, emphasising the company's strategic approach. "Our focus is not to be a long-term competitor to the automotive industry. We are taking advantage of this exchange of technology and the knowledge we are acquiring from it, in order to improve out drives and forklift trucks for the benefit of our customers."

About Karabag GmbH:

Karabag GmbH is a German commercial vehicles dealer and electric vehicles manufacturer based in Hamburg. Founded in 1992 by Sirri Steven Karabag, the company originally specialised in commercial vehicles and camper vans from FIAT.

With an annual turnover of EUR 20 million, the Karabag Group is one of the biggest top-selling FIAT commercial vehicles dealers in Europe. Karabag has been manufacturing and selling electric vehicles with growing success since 2008 and topped the registration statistics for electric vehicles in 2010 with 251 registered vehicles.

About Zwiehoff GmbH:

Zwiehoff GmbH is a two-way technology specialist based in Rosenheim, Germany. The company offers various vehicles and attachments for construction, maintenance, vegetation control, winter services, transport, shunting, rescue services, etc. which can be used both on streets and rails.