Compelling vision for the future of heavy trucks

In the last few years our industry has witnessed a technological revolution in power and efficiency unlike anything before. However, even as MHE technology has continued its relentless evolution, two concerns remain the same, keeping costs down, and cutting the environmental impact of operations – both of which are within grasp, with a little forethought and a willingness to embrace change. Accepting the fact that although electric equipment is often more expensive to purchase, lifelong cost and the impact on the environment are where huge savings can be made.

Reducing costs can often result in reducing your carbon footprint. Environmentally friendly operations and thinking ‘green’ is becoming increasingly important and companies are more frequently requested to present figures on carbon footprint when they negotiate new contracts.

It is therefore hardly a surprise that more companies are considering the environmental impact of their investment when it comes to materials handling equipment.

At Impact, our multi-brand approach to supplying MHE means we can meet our customers’ needs with a wide variety of suitable equipment.

Our electric/lithium-ion forklift ranges are reaching record levels of popularity and now Konecranes Lift Trucks are at the forefront of bringing this technology to medium and heavy lift trucks.

This Autumn Konecranes Lift Trucks will introduce all-electric versions in the medium sized forklift range with lifting capacities from 10 to 18 tons. The focus of the new truck line is on enhancing the driver experience. 

The electric drivelines are silent, vibration free and eliminate the odour of diesel fumes and of course harmful emissions.  Konecranes have also updated the control system with an easy-to-use driver interface on the onboard screen. 

The motors for driving and lifting, are at nominal value, slightly more powerful than the diesel versions of the same trucks. In addition, the motors offer peak capacity when lifting and accelerating. The performance profile of these trucks greatly improves productivity.

Service costs are expected to be significantly lower on these electric trucks, with less moving parts, less oil and less filters being the main contributors.

So, by combining a more pleasing driver experience, higher productivity and lower operating costs, Impact with the support of Konecranes will soon be able to offer our customers a more cost effective, environmentally friendly fleet of medium to heavy trucks.

Mol and Carer Electric Trucks

Complementing the new heavy forklift range at Impact sees the arrival of the new Mol electric terminal tractor and powerful Carer electric forklift A160 @ 1200X.

The performance of the new Mol electric motor is similar to that of its diesel counterpart with the exclusion of CO2 emissions and lower noise levels and the new electric drive system has fewer moving parts than a diesel engine resulting in lower maintenance costs. 

Italian manufacturer Carer introduces a new addition to its already popular A-Series electric forklifts which comprises of the A80-900X, A90X and A100X and now the new A160 @ 1200X.

Thanks to its high performance and 144 V battery (available in Lithium-ion) the new Carer A160 electric forklift will be able to cover an entire work shift, maintaining speed and lifting performance comparable to that of diesel trucks and is therefore ideal in various applications with very bulky loads such as paper and packaging.

It’s easy to forget that managing your MHE fleet from an environmental aspect can deliver not only real carbon footprint savings, but also significant cost savings, which is why proactive operators should demand more of their suppliers, to ensure they’re getting the best performance with the lowest impact on their pocket – or the planet.