As one of the first series production trucks in STILL’s silver-orange design family the RX 20 has already made history and drew a lot of interest. This proven all-round forklift truck has now been comprehensively re-engineered, giving it numerous improved features. Although the unmistakeable design remains, new internal technologies ensure higher goods handling performance, good ramp-climbing ability and top speeds of up to 20 km/h combined with improved energy efficiency.

Counterbalanced electric forklift trucks are enjoying ever-increasing popularity, especially in Germany, Central and Western Europe. Tightened emission guidelines, rising energy prices and environmental awareness, as well as improved use of battery capacity through more energy-efficient technologies, are a few of the reasons for this success. The RX 20 with load capacities of 1.4 to 2.0 t is the top selling forklift in STILL’s entire RX family and thus occupies a top position in the market. When introduced in 2005 it set new standards in this forklift class, due mainly to its sideways battery change, achieved for the first time in series production, and through its high energy efficiency and user friendliness. STILL GmbH in Hamburg, a leading supplier of customised intralogistics solutions worldwide, has now extensively re-engineered this manoeuvrable electric forklift trucks available as a three or four-wheeled version, and presents the RX 20, a particular powerful truck with a maintenance-free 3-phase drive using 48-volt technology.

Thanks to a new drive axle, the RX 20 now achieves top speeds of 20 instead of the previous 16 km/h, thus coming up to the speed of internal combustion forklifts. This raises its goods handling performance, especially when transporting materials over long distances or at peak times when maximum performance is required. The optimised engine control has improved its ramp-climbing ability, so the RX 20 can manage ramps with a gradient of up to 28.5 %. The proven, more powerful hydraulic pump from the RX 60 is used in the RX 20 to improve goods handling performance still further, even in applications with many lifting and lowering duties. This increases maximum hydraulic speeds by around 16% to 0.44 m/s with a 2.0 t load. To ensure all the performance-enhancing measures are combined in the RX 20, STILL has created Sprint Mode. This involves a driving profile superimposed on the various driving programs, in which heightened goods handling performance is possible.

However, due to the improved efficiency of the inverter, developed by STILL and fabricated in Hamburg, the new version of the RX 20 needs no greater amount of energy in spite of its higher performance. The driver can track this on the new energy consumption display, which now shows the instantaneous energy consumption and remaining operating time. Thus the driver can read off accurately the forklift’s expected range up to the next battery recharge. Moreover, as standard the RX 20 has the Blue-Q energy-saving program with which an energy saving of up to 15% can be achieved at the push of a button, depending on the application and load, thus allowing battery life to be extended beyond a single shift.

With larger forklift fleets or frequent changes of drivers, operators can use STILL’s FleetManager to overview and optimise their fleet. This also allows the RX 20 to be used only by authorised drivers via access codes.

STILL has extended the standard forward tilt on the RX 20 to 5° to allow stacking even on sloping floors and special HGVs. However, there are also innovations in relation to driver comfort: to minimise the human body vibrations even on uneven surfaces, STILL together with the leading seat manufacturer Grammer has developed a new high-end premium seat that offers the driver optimum cushioning comfort with a high degree of head freedom. Furthermore, an optional adjustable roof window is available to make sure the driver keeps a cool head even during hot phases of the work.

Through the facelift, STILL has made the RX 20 even more attractive for many industries and applications. The possible applications have become even more varied due to the higher top speed and lifting performance. This makes it ideal for operators who need an all-purpose forklift for indoor and outdoor use combined with high goods handling performance or good climbing ability on ramps.