THE ELECTRIC ALTERNATIVE Moffett launched its E-series electric forklift at
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the CV Show this year. Project leader John Bailey says: "It's not going to be a massive part of the market, but it's designed for the future. A lot more deliveries are going to be night-time deliveries — it's easier to deliver into cities in the evening — and where are we going to be in 2020?"
Near-silent operation and the absence of local emissions means the E-series can operate indoors or out. "The food and beverage sector will be a big market for it," says Bailey.
The E-series runs on a 48V system. "When we were first looking at this, we were looking at lead-acid batteries," says Bailey, "but in the past three or four years the price of li-ion batteries has dropped considerably." The E-series is no heavier than a comparable diesel truck, and the manufacturer gives a five-year warranty on the battery pack.
Ferrari Piston Services is finding that, with about six drops and pick-ups a day, a full charge lasts three to four days. The 1.5kW charger is mounted on the forklift, and just needs a 13A socket, while you can fit a trickle charger on board the truck carrying the forklift.
"We're getting a lot of enquiries from the construction sector," says Bailey. "The next step will be a threewheel-drive model — that's 24 months down the road."
However, Moffett will soon have competition. As Loadmac's Mark Hignett says: "Electric forklifts are on the horizon for us — it's a live project."