Forklift trucks (FLTs) are at the heart of most UK manufacturing companies, helping to move materials during production and getting product ready to enter and leave the warehouse. For years firms have taken their pick from three main power sources – diesel, electric and gas – but is there one power type that companies should be investing in as the UK moves forward in the 21st century?
David Bowen, warehouse product manager at Linde Materials Handling, says that at the moment the market for internal combustion engine trucks is “fighting very hard”. He says that there is “greater pressure” on it but it shows “no sign of disappearing” in the short term.
“People are looking more at alternatives to engine trucks,” he explains. “One because of cost and two because of the environmental factors. I wouldn’t like to predict the decline of the engine powered FLT anytime soon, but new companies and companies with a desire to show their green side are more likely to look at electric powered vehicles.”
Diesel FLTs simply run on fuel like any road vehicle, while electric powered FLTs use batteries and gas powered FLTs run on gas bottles. But, like any road vehicle, the power types that are available to UK manufacturers do have their positives and negatives. Let’s start our review with the traditional diesel powered truck.
Diesel
“The big advantage of internal combustion engine trucks is that you can easily refill them like a car as against the conventional lead acid battery which could take between six and 12 hours to recharge,” says Bowen. “But, there are some considerations such as if you work late at night then an engine truck will be noisy.”
Duncan Nealon, chair of the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) adds that diesel FLTs are typically used in yard applications, so have a bit more power and a benefit of that is they are running outside so emissions are not as big of an issue.
David Goss, technical manager at the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA), explains that the high torque and ease of refuelling make diesel units suitable for intensive use with high loads, but exhaust emissions restrict indoor applications. He adds that they are also good on gradients, towing loads and for use with powered equipment.
Emissions legislation has also radically improved diesel engines, he says, but manufacturers are still not going to pick them for clean or temperature controlled environments.
“However, whilst the environmental and fuel efficiency benefits are welcome, there are some added pitfalls,” he says. “Operators need to be aware that not all diesel engines are the same. The advent of Biodiesel and ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD), as well as grades with different cetane ratings, means that you shouldn’t just specify ‘diesel’ if you want optimum performance from any given engine.”
Electric
If you are working indoors then ideally you want to be running electric trucks because they give off zero emissions, explains Nealon – helpful for the food manufacturing industry. In addition, if you have a low voltage supply then you can charge them extremely cheaply through the night so running costs tend to be “very effective”.
Goss agrees that electric FLTs are “excellent” indoors due to no emissions and says that they are pleasant to operate as they are easy to control with low noise and vibration. But he warns that they are limited outdoors and over uneven terrain.
However, both agree that charging times can be an issue. Nealon says that the main downside of the electric truck is – unless you are operating spare batteries – that once the truck is flat it is flat and it will take you eight hours minimum to charge it.
“What you quite often see is people running a 12 hour shift and towards the end of that shift the battery goes flat,” he explains. “If you don’t have a changing station, once that battery runs flat, it is flat for eight hours. Whereas if you have a gas truck for example, as soon as a bottle goes you just sling another bottle on it.”
He explains that charging stations must also be kept clear and that when acid batteries need topping up – although the end user will not be topping up themselves – it is important to keep in mind that you are dealing with acid.
Bowen adds that Linde has a “pretty established route” for recycling old batteries. “The manufactures of the batteries will take them back and recycle them,” he explains. “It isn’t a major issue, but it is something that has to be done by specialist contractors.”
Gas/LPG
“There are so many benefits to using LPG within the warehouse and logistics sector”, says Tony Williams, regional sales manager at Avanti Gas. He explains that diesel and electric trucks have limitations but LPG is cost-effective, clean, can tackle uneven surfaces and steep inclines, and helps increase productivity.
“There is a myth about LPG trucks - that they are not as durable or capable of lifting larger loads as diesel powered models, but the facts from the marketplace will tell you different,” he explains. “The technology also offers a fast re-fuelling operation, you don’t have to wait overnight for batteries to recharge.”
Comparing LPG and diesel, Williams says that LPG can eliminate onsite fuel theft, which can often occur with diesel. He also explains that LPG burns “very cleanly” and can help a company to reduce its emissions such as NOx.
LPG can also help free up space in the warehouse of a business because charging facilities are kept outside but electric trucks can’t, Williams adds. You also pay for the fuel as you use it, rather than paying up front for a battery.
“Last, but by no means least, engine performance is not compromised when using LPG, thanks to its high calorific value,” Williams says. “Power, acceleration and cruise speed are comparable to those of a vehicle powered by diesel and LPG can also be used to power the movement of heavy loads, making it ideal for forklift trucks.”
Goss agrees that LPG has low purchase cost and is lighter, meaning trucks are more manoeuvrable than diesel engine trucks. He adds that LPG emissions also permit indoor and outdoor operation in many applications but warns operating costs tend to be higher and refuelling requires more effort and experience. Nealon adds that manufacturers with gas FLTs will also need an external gas cage to store bottles for health and safety reasons.
Emerging fuel types
Battery technology is developing rapidly so further advances can be expected, says Goss. But he also questions whether there is a threat from “the new kid on the block” – the hydrogen fuel cell – which works by hydrogen and oxygen combining to release electrical energy. The ultimate by-product is water, meaning it produces zero emissions.
“Both infrastructure and technological challenges remain, so whilst products are available in the market place, as with automotive applications, this probably hasn’t quite reached the stage of development where it’s ready for mass deployment,” Goss says. Toyota Materials Handling believes challenges to be producing sufficient quantities of hydrogen in a cost effective way, and developing an infrastructure for the supply of hydrogen (http://bit.ly/2lB0sXH).
However, Bowen explains that one fuel type that Linde is looking “very strongly” at and is starting to expand its range of products being powered by is lithium ion batteries. They are more energy efficient and have a better return on investment than lead acid batteries, but do have a higher initial investment (http://bit.ly/2kUtxyF).
“The manufacturing cost or purchasing cost is really against hydrogen fuel cells becoming a massive source of power for our equipment,” Bowen explains. “The cost of a fuel cell compared to the cost of a traction battery – there is a big gulf in-between and it is not really commercially viable for the mainstream of the market. Lithium ion is a lot closer. It is still quite expensive but the benefit of it is that very often you don’t need a second battery to work through two or three shifts.”
However, Williams sees LPG becoming more popular. He says that over the next 10 years he can see technology becoming more efficient which lends itself well to LPG being a “very versatile fuel”. “We will see a rise in the demand of LPG due to environmental factors such as carbon reduction,” he says.
But, Nealon believes that alternative fuel types aren’t a major area of development at the moment. “I think the main development is just coming in the cleaner burn engine trucks – the gas trucks now are seen so much cleaner than they ever were,” he explains.
The verdict
It is clear that each FLT fuel type has positives and negatives around cost effectiveness, running time, and health and safety. Goss says that selecting the appropriate fuel type for your application is always going to be case specific, and intelligent organisations will take a ‘whole life cost’ approach rather than just looking at the ticket price. And as Bowen explains, the type of FLT needed will depend on usage and environment.
So what is clear is that manufacturers looking to invest in FLTs or upgrade their current fleet should consider a range of factors before investing in an FLT, from the types of products they are developing and production time to what will be more cost effective in the long run and the surrounding area and environment.
What type of truck fuel do you prefer? Email adam.offord@markallengroup.com
