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Dec 12, 2023

Yale Materials Handling Corporation launches factory

Greenville, North Carolina, USA James Nielson of Yale Materials Handling

Greenville, North Carolina, USA

James Nielson of Yale Materials Handling Corporation presents the ERP040VTL lithium-ion lift truck that is designed to help warehouses in fast-moving industries like e-commerce and third-party logistics (3PL) warehouses reap the benefits of lithium-ion power and improve productivity.

The new ERP040VTL Lithium-Ion Lift Truck has recently been awarded a 2022 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The three-wheeled truck, which features a load capacity of 4,000 pounds, is strategically designed around a factory-integrated, space-saving lithium-ion battery, rather than relying on the traditional approach that requires an aftermarket battery box replacement to convert a truck's motive power source from lead-acid to lithium-ion.This approach allows for an open-space design, enabling ergonomic features that maximize comfort and productivity, such as easy entry and exit from the operator compartment and increased floor space that offers more freedom for operators to position their feet while operating the truck.

Additionally, the truck's repositioned center of gravity improves drive quality and handling in corners, to help increase operator confidence and efficient performance during shifts.The lithium-ion battery itself brings operations the full benefits of this advanced electric power source. These include fast charging times (fully charged in approximately 45 minutes or less), no battery maintenance requirements, no emissions in operation or gassing in battery charging or maintenance processes, and lower energy costs compared to fossil fuels and lead-acid batteries.Overall, the truck's ergonomic design and power features can help increase productivity by up to 5%, based on VDI 2198, a standard for comparing the technical details of industrial trucks.

The truck marks the latest addition to Yale's integrated lithium-ion lift truck lineup, which also includes pneumatic and cushion tire models in the 5,000 to the 6,000-pound capacity range, as well as a 15,500 to 19,000-pound capacity series.

Project: ERP040VTL lithium-ion lift truckDesigners: Yale Materials Handling CorporationLead Designer: James NielsonManufacturers: Yale Materials Handling Corporation