H2 Logic launched a newly developed zero emission hydrogen fuel cell system for forklifts. The new product is named H2Drive™ and is a result of more than 6 years of research efforts. At the fair Dantruck A/S will showcase a new 2,5 tons heavy duty forklift powered by hydrogen using a H2Drive fuel cell system from H2 Logic.
A hydrogen powered forklift with fuel cells combines the advantages of diesel /LPG and battery powered forklifts. Hydrogen provides the same consistent power and fast refueling as LPG and diesel, whilst also providing energy effi-cient and zero emission electric propulsion as batteries.
"Visits to a wide range of forklift end-users in Europe has confirmed that there is a gap between the customer offerings of diesel/LPG and electric battery forklifts, in particular in the larger and heavy duty forklifts. This gap is covered by hydro-gen powered forklifts with fuel cells. We are ready, and expect to book test drives of hydrogen forklifts with our H2Drive product at various end-users in the coming months", stated Sales Manager at H2 Logic, Steven Westenholz.
H2 Logic and Dantruck have since 2006 collaborated on developing a new hydrogen powered forklift with a fully integrated H2Drive fuel cell system from H2 Logic. The result is a new powerful 2,5 tons forklift for heavy duty applications, developed entirely to be powered by hydrogen. In parallel H2 Logic has developed an 80V version of H2Drive that has the same dimensions as batteries and thus can replace these in conventional electric powered forklifts.
Together with H2Drive, H2 Logic also offers a refueling solution, enabling refueling of hydrogen in 3 minutes. This is on level with refueling of LPG and diesel, and faster than swapping or charging of batteries.
In related news, the HyLIFT-DEMO Project announced that it will conduct a large scale demonstration of Fuel Cell Hydrogen (FCH) powered FLTs (Fork Lift Trucks), while building the business case to enable deployment and market introduction by 2013. This first small scale series production of FCH FLTs will seek to validate the value proposition as well as commercial and environmental targets by retrieving the data provided by the demonstration operation.
The project will hold a two year demonstration of at least 30 units of 2.5 – 3.5 tons FLTs with fully integrated 3rd generation fuel cell systems and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at 3 end-user sites throughout Europe. In addition, accelerated laboratory durability tests will be conducted on FC systems to validate life time and shock, vibration and climate resistance, reaching 4,000 hours in laboratory.
The project started January 2011 and is co-funded by the European Joint Undertaking for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen.
