Fuel cell-powered forklift trucks can deliver a performance comparable to battery-powered trucks but take significantly less time to refuel, a US lift truck manufacturer has said.

Raymond Corporation's research into fuel cell-powered forklifts found that their braking distance, maximum travel and lift speeds are equivalent to battery-powered counterparts.

Meanwhile, refuelling the fuel cell trucks at indoor hydrogen refuelling stations takes just a couple of minutes compared with the 20 minutes-plus it takes to remove and replace a battery, Jim Malvaso, Raymond President and CEO announced.

The research programme also discovered a solution to the fact that fuel cell components are not as heavy as those of a battery and therefore do not act as a counterweight in the trucks.

This problem could be overcome by adding additional weight to the fuel cell unit, which must be evenly distributed so as to make the centre of gravity the same as the battery it is replacing, Mr Malvaso said.

In future truck models, the issue of weight distribution could be addressed by wholly incorporating the fuel cell into their design, he added.

Raymond has been carrying out the two-year research programme under an agreement with the New York Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York State Power Authority.

Source:

Raymond Announces Early Fuel Cell Research Findings, 20/12/07

http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage8255.html

Raymond delivers progress report on fuel cell research, 21/12/07

http://www.mmh.com/article/CA6514673.html


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