Konecranes, a global leader in material handling solutions, has introduced a heavy-duty version of its flagship E-VER electric forklift for lifting capacities of 18-25 tons.

The premium Konecranes E-VER electric forklift has been making waves in lift truck markets with intense customer interest and excellent feedback, says the company. Now an increase in capacity to 18-25 tons allows the new range to add significant strength to an already innovative system design, giving the E-VER wider versatility for tough applications in heavy industries such as steel, mining and ports, without compromising on performance, according to the company.

“Higher capacity on the E-VER is the next step on the road to zero tailpipe emissions across all of our lift trucks portfolio,” says Jeffrey Stokes, Director Product and Technology Management, Lift Trucks, Konecranes. “As the global market transitions to carbon neutrality, an even broader environmental responsibility is clear. We have a product roadmap to deliver the right products at the right time, paving the way to a decarbonised and circular world by eliminating emissions in the entire value chain from production to usage and eventually enabling repurposing and efficient recycling.”

The new 18-to-25-ton Konecranes E-VER is intended for heavy-duty industrial applications with low energy consumption and zero tailpipe emissions. Manufactured with clean energy, the powerful lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack fuels the truck’s electric motors. Easily adaptable to the local power grid, it allows fast charging under an hour and top-ups from braking energy during busy work shifts, and slower charging when not in use, he says.

A combination of high voltage and low current reduces energy consumption and losses, allowing the truck to use up to 90 per cent of available energy. When no longer able to hold enough charge to run the motors, the battery can be repurposed as a power reserve at charging stations, or a backup power supply if regular sources fail. At the end of its useful life cycle, Li-ion batteries can be taken apart for recycling, Stokes adds.

“Optimised weight distribution gives the Konecranes E-VER electric forklift smooth, reliable operation and easy manoeuvrability in all kinds of demanding industrial environments. Powerful motors lift fast and accelerate quickly, even when fully loaded on a slope,” he points out.

Cabin ergonomics significantly lower noise and vibrations and offer the operator a wide, unobstructed view of the work area, increasing both comfort and safety. The truck is equipped with plenty of safety features, including a battery management system (BMS) that monitors battery condition, a thermal management system (TMS) that controls the battery and always keeps it at the right temperature, and a protective frame around the battery to prevent physical damage in the event of a collision. Redundant sensors throughout the machine provide information for faster analysis and safer functioning.

The Konecranes E-VER is a Smart Connected Lift Truck, using Truconnect to collect real-time data on a wide range of variables, including battery charge monitoring and estimated truck autonomy; energy consumption per lift, distance or load; the amount of energy recovered from braking; and alarms, alerts and other diagnostics. All this data transmits securely to the yourKonecranes customer portal to monitor and control the truck’s operational efficiency, productivity, safety and environmental impact.