From May to November 2021, Konecranes Lift Trucks sent their flagship E-VER all-electric, heavy-duty forklift on a tour of nine European countries. It was well received by distributors and end users, and Lift Trucks decided to continue the tour in June 2022. They planned to revisit several countries that showed particular interest in this forklift, as well as a few new locations.
This article gives you an inside look at why the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift went on tour, what happened on the tour, and what the reaction was.
The ultimate in Ecolifting
Before technology had advanced to the point where lift trucks could run on battery-stored electricity, Konecranes were already offering lift trucks that consistently lowered fuel and maintenance costs. As concern about climate change grew and the need to minimize emissions increased, Konecranes stepped up in 2018 with Ecolifting for lift trucks, a concept that included a range of driveline solutions that cut fuel consumption up to 40% without compromising performance.
Then Konecranes set out to produce a battery-driven forklift – a powerful lifting machine for loads of 10-18 tons that eliminates tailpipe emissions altogether. It would be the ultimate in Ecolifting.
Enter the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift.
With a fully-electric driveline, the Konecranes E-VER cuts energy consumption by up to 70%. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that power the machine take just 45 minutes to recharge, get a top-up with braking energy, and depending on use, last on average 4,000 charge cycles, or about 5 years. Smooth movement and fast acceleration improve efficiency, an ergonomic cabin keeps drivers comfortable for more focus and safety, electronic sensors provide essential operational information, and TRUCONNECT Remote Services enable digital condition monitoring to optimize performance, maintenance and fleet management.
The E-VER was ready for market in 2020. Originally, Konecranes had planned a big launch event at the Markaryd factory in southern Sweden where it was produced. But then COVID-19 came along, and this was canceled. There was an online launch but this wasn’t the same thing – although you could see it and hear it, you couldn’t sit in it or drive it.
Taking the E-VER on tour
As things started to open up again in 2021, Konecranes made the bold decision to bring the electric forklift to customers. Starting in May, they toured the truck through nine European countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy and Austria.
During the tour, Konecranes held customer events in cooperation with local distributors, where they presented the basics of the E-VER, provided a Q&A session, and end users could go for a test drive. With advance booking, customers could also borrow the truck for a “demo week” and put it through its paces at their own facilities. Using it on-site was a great way to fully experience the E-VER and see how well it performed for their business.
The E-VER is not a road vehicle, so it traveled around Europe in the back of a semitrailer. Weighing in at just over 22 tons, it was small enough that it didn’t need to be dismantled – it could just be driven in and out of the back of the truck.
What customers thought
A tour like this gives distributors and end users the opportunity to see first-hand how a battery-driven forklift can make a difference in their operations.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with a good first impression and plenty of admiring comments on the overall design, ergonomic cabin, pleasant driving experience, and low charging time. Best of all, the general consensus was that performance was even better when the E-VER was compared with an equivalent diesel truck.
The Q&A sessions revealed that the main customer concerns centered on switching from diesel to electric: this will naturally require some infrastructural and operational changes.
When it comes to infrastructure, provisions need to be made for charging stations and access to sufficient mains power. This requires some up-front investment, but this is a long-term venture that will lower truck operating costs and total cost of ownership. Meanwhile, it adds eco-efficiency that is very attractive to today’s environmentally conscious customers.
Once the infrastructure is in place, operating processes need to be addressed. The main element here is charging: how will operating cycles be affected when electric forklifts have to regularly break for charging? It’s hard to generalize about charging time because the length depends on how the truck is used, but a fully-charged battery should run the truck for 4-6 hours of heavy operation, and even longer for lighter applications. To extend the time, a fast charge can be scheduled during breaks, and a regular slow charge can be scheduled overnight when demand is lower or the truck is off-duty. This extends the life of the battery.
Understandably, customers had a lot of questions about the Li-ion battery at the heart of the E-VER’s design. Advances in battery technology is what made it possible to build the E-VER. Li-ion batteries lose charge slowly enough, recharge fast enough, and hold the high voltage needed for a truck of this size. The Li-ion battery doesn’t need separate servicing, but even with the on-board Battery Management System (BMS) to control and monitor its performance, and a charging plan to maximize its life, it will eventually wear out. When it can’t power the forklift anymore, it can be used as a secondary power source until it is eventually recycled.
In addition, Konecranes makes using batteries even easier with the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) option, enabling customers to purchase the E-VER without a battery, reducing the initial investment required and spreading costs over time. The battery is subject to a monthly fee, based on actual usage, monitored in real-time through TRUCONNECT.
E-VER on the road again
Konecranes has introduced a brand-new platform with the special mechanical design, electronic machine control and digital connectivity of its electric forklift trucks. As the market adapts to this new innovation, Konecranes will scale it up and put even more powerful lift trucks into production. A fully-electric future is coming fast for heavy-duty lift trucks.
But the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift for 10-18 tons is already here, and it’s back on the road, so you can experience it today.
In mid-June 2022, the E-VER put in an appearance in Rotterdam at the Terminal Operators’ Conference (TOC) Europe. It got pride of place right in front of the entrance, where customers could get into it, and talk to the Konecranes salespeople. This was the first big exhibition it attended.
Over the summer, the E-VER was at the Port of Helsingborg in Sweden and then it went to Austria for the International Wood Fair, followed by a quick nip across to Hungary. It will be in Germany throughout October and November for a number of demo weeks and assorted events, including visits to the Konecranes facilities in Würzburg and Düsseldorf. Finally, it will head back to Sweden at the beginning of December.
If you’re in Europe this autumn, you should come and see it. Just follow the tour itinerary and head to the next event closest to you, or arrange a demo week at your own facility and try before you buy.
Andreas Falk, Senior Vice President, Konecranes Lift Trucks, says: “This tour is a fantastic opportunity for our customers to get hands-on experience of the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift. The E-VER can transform your operation by improving day-to-day productivity, cutting energy costs and improving overall eco-efficiency. We warmly welcome everyone who is interested in electrifying their lift trucks to meet us on the tour.”
