Anyone buying material handling equipment from EP Equipment does not have to be in any doubt about the battery pack. All reach trucks, pallet trucks and forklift trucks, including those in the heavier segment, are factory-fitted with a lithium battery as standard. This offers numerous advantages compared to the time-honoured lead-acid battery, says managing director Daaf Vunderink. "Those who are convinced can knock on our door to have the lead-acid batteries of their existing trucks replaced with lithium batteries."
Lithium batteries have one big advantage: users do not have to worry about them. Maintenance is not necessary, recharging is sufficient. Anyone who plugs in again and again during each break can use their forklift, reach truck or other material handling equipment 24 hours a day. Day after day, month after month, year after year. "That is why all EP Equipment trucks are equipped with lithium batteries as standard," explains EP Equipment director Daaf Vunderink.
This is less obvious than it seems. Most forklift suppliers supply their machines with a traditional lead-acid battery as standard. Those who still prefer a lithium battery pay a hefty premium. As a result, many users opt for the option that is most economical, at least at the time of purchase. "A lead-acid battery lasts five or six, maybe seven years. Then they run out and you have to buy a new battery. A lithium battery has a much longer lifespan," Vunderink knows.
Maintenance
The fact that a lead-acid battery does not last as long has everything to do with the maintenance it requires. Or rather, the maintenance that is often carried out inadequately. The electrolyte in the cells of a lead-acid battery needs to be topped up regularly with distilled water. If this is not done on time, the liquid level drops, the lead plates become exposed and oxidation takes place. If the electrolyte splashes up, it lands on the metal cell connectors, whereupon corrosion occurs.
"When a failure occurs, it is often related to the lead-acid battery. Then, for example, the cells are not refilled or the cell connectors are not replaced in time," Vunderink knows. "As a result, the forklift does not work when it is needed, much to the annoyance of the driver and his boss. In the worst case, delays or downtime of the operation occur. With a lithium battery, those frustrations are a thing of the past."
Lithium iron phosphate
Another disadvantage is that a lead-acid battery requires a tight charging regime. The advice is not to charge until the battery is 70 to 80 per cent discharged. Those who ignore the advice and charge half-full batteries will see their lifespan shrink rapidly. With lithium batteries, on the other hand, interim charging is no problem at all. "Within two and a half hours it is full. If you forget to charge a lithium battery, you can plug it in briefly and get on with it quickly," Vunderink knows. "A lead-acid battery quickly needs six hours on the charger, which also releases all kinds of harmful gases."
The safety risks of lithium batteries are limited, at least of the batteries in EP Equipment's trucks. "We only use batteries with lithium iron phosphate. This is the safest lithium battery currently available and, for example, is much less likely to ignite than a Tesla's battery. In Europe, EP Equipment is the market leader in lithium batteries. In the ten years we have been selling them, we have not had any problems with batteries," Vunderink explains. "In addition, we equip our batteries with a telemetry system as standard. This allows us to read the battery data remotely and look over the user's shoulder in case of problems."
High voltage
Vunderink finds that users sometimes still need to get used to trucks with lithium batteries. "They often think they need a battery with the maximum capacity, assuming they will use the forklift all day. In practice, it then turns out that they only need 40-50 per cent of the battery. In that case, they might opt for a lithium battery, as it can be recharged between uses. They don't have to worry about the cost. Like our forklifts, our batteries are competitively priced. For €12,995 you already have a new forklift truck including battery."
Gone are the days when lithium batteries were reserved for light-duty lift trucks. Heavy trucks with lifting capacities of 5 to 25 tonnes now also run smoothly on a lithium battery. "Many companies still think they need the extra power of a diesel truck for that. That is now obsolete thanks to our high-voltage technology. We can equip these heavy trucks with a 309- or 618-volt battery, which offers more than enough power. This is also a favourable solution in terms of price."
Retrofit
Those who have become convinced of the advantages of lithium batteries and want to replace the lead-acid batteries of their existing trucks can also turn to EP Equipment. "For this purpose, we have developed a retrofit option. If a lift truck of any make has a battery container that meets DIN standards, we can replace it with a completely new battery container with a lithium battery," Vunderink explains. "Because a lithium battery is smaller and lighter than a lead-acid battery, we also add extra counterweight in the container. Furthermore, we only need to fit a new display that shows the battery condition. Within an hour and a half, the retrofit is ready."
This is how EP Equipment recently overhauled 20 forklift trucks belonging to a transport company. "These Linde trucks were five or six years old. The lead-acid batteries had run out and we replaced them with lithium batteries," Vunderink says. "Since then, we have carried out hundreds of retrofits. You often see that the installed lithium batteries even get a second life. When the company completely replaces the trucks, they put these batteries in the new ones. I have never seen that happen with lead-acid batteries."
