Will we all be driving forklifts powered by green energy in the future? It just might. A collaboration between Honda and Briggs Equipment has resulted in the first Yale forklift that is truly 'green'.
Renewable energy
Yale's forklift is powered entirely by hydrogen fuel cells. Yale has long been using a forklift that runs entirely on fuel cell energy, but the generation of these cells would still involve pollution, however. This is because the hydrogen would be generated using fossil fuels. According to Briggs Equipment CEO Richard Close, an attempt has now been made to produce hydrogen using renewable energy, which therefore does not involve pollution.
Battery not swapping
The hydrogen fuel cell installed in the truck ensures that the battery is charged while working. This means the battery does not need to be changed, which can save a lot of time. However, the hydrogen cell does need to be recharged once in a while at a charging point, an operation that takes about five minutes, according to Close.
No mass production
The new truck is seen as a technological breakthrough, but the question is whether companies will adopt the 'green' forklift en masse and face an emissions-free future. As this model has used renewable energy, mass production will not be an issue soon. The forklift in this form is therefore relatively expensive, especially for smaller logistics companies that do not enjoy economies of scale.
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