Yale Innovates Forklift Design

• Yale Europe Materials Handling announces a new counterbalance forklift truck engineered around a fully integrated and space-saving lithium-ion battery.
• The ERP25-30VLL features a cabin with additional space for the operator, creating a working environment that enhances productivity.
• The truck is highly efficient, and offers charging flexibility thanks to the integrated zero-maintenance lithium-ion battery, resulting in a low cost of operation for customers.

The growing demand for alternative power solutions continues to drive evolution. This sparks opportunities to find new solutions and gains in product design. The new Yale® ERP25-30VLL Series counterbalance forklift truck is engineered around an integrated lithium-ion battery, enabling space in the operator cabin to be optimised.

The Yale ERP25-30VLL Series offers all the benefits of lithium-ion power in a counterbalance truck: its fully-integrated battery requires zero maintenance, while opportunity charging enables the truck to complete a dual-shift operation without having to remove and replace its battery, unlike a conventional lead-acid based solution.

As the truck has been designed around the power source, the additional gains made in the operator compartment puts the ERP25-30VLL at the forefront of innovation in the materials handling industry.

A focus on ergonomics

The integrated lithium-ion battery sits low within the ERP25-30VLL truck. As a result, the truck enjoys ergonomic features that benefit the operator, which in turn enables high productivity.

The large open compartment maximises comfort and convenience, such as additional foot space and leg room. A low seat and floor plate in the ERP25-30VLL allows easy access to and from the truck, while creating additional head clearance. The extra space allows the truck to be fitted with comfortable seat options, such as air suspension, while the truck’s low centre of gravity brings enhanced drive quality and truck handling in corners.

Flexibility of operations

Customers with medium to heavy duty applications can benefit from the charging flexibility of the ERP25-30VLL. Its lithium-ion power is a good choice for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, where clean operations are essential, as no emissions are given off in the charging process.

The ERP25-30VLL can also be used in temperature controlled environments, such as cold-stores, down to -20°C ambient temperature. As the lithium-ion battery is directly connected to the telemetry system, it can adjust its performance based on its operating environment. The in-built heater keeps the battery’s temperature above 0°C while charging.

Ivor Wilkinson, Solutions Manager at Yale said: “Our new fully-integrated lithium-ion truck showcases the innovative vision of Yale to develop the future of motive power. The ERP25-30VLL offers all the benefits of lithium-ion power: high efficiency, charging flexibility, zero maintenance. It embraces technology that enhances our customers’ productivity while keeping operations costs low. We believe it is a powerful addition to our product range.”