EUROPE REPORT
German OEM Jungheinrich has accomplished a remarkable goal, delivering its 100,000th lithium-Ion Forklift truck. An ETV 216i Reach truck was the star of this milestone, with 15 other identical models delivered to the Amazon warehouse in Leipzig.
In 2011, Jungheinrich was the world’s first industrial truck manufacturer to launch a series-produced truck with a lithium-ion battery. Since then, lithium-ion technology has become the fastest-growing battery technology for industrial trucks.
PSR Analysis: According to Jungheinrich, compared to a diesel truck of the same performance class, an electric truck with a lithium-ion battery emits less than half the CO2 during its entire lifetime, including its manufacture. By using electricity from renewable energy sources, the CO₂ emissions of the vehicles in operation can be reduced by up to 90%. It is not a surprise to see the increase of battery electric trucks in the European production mix.
According to the Power Systems Research Database OE Link™ electric trucks (with different types of batteries) have been growing rapidly in recent years. After their mass adoption in 2011, EV forklifts rapidly became the standard in Europe, and we forecast that in coming years they will further increase their shares up to 87% in 2027.
Vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries will dominate the market, with other solutions used only in niche applications. Another interesting point to consider is the failure of Hybrid trucks. This solution was introduced just a few years before battery-powered products, but never caught on, mainly due to the rapid development and clear advantages of the full electric products. We expect Hybrid forklifts to represent an irrelevant 0.5% of forklifts made in Europe by 2027.
Source: Power Systems Research OE Link™
The manufacturing of electric Forklift Trucks in Europe is dominated by three players, the KION Group, Jungheinrich and Toyota. As a result, five different brands have more than 75% of the total units made.
Source: Power Systems Research OE Link™
Beyond 2027, we expect Electric Forklift Trucks to continue their growth, driven by more stringent emission regulations, and by more demand from the logistic industry. We are monitoring the adoption of different alternative zero emissions technologies that will shape the long-term future of this industry. PSR
Emiliano Marzoli is Manager – European Operations at Power Systems Research
