Yale Lift Truck Technologies has introduced Power Key to help warehouses change among lift truck motive power technologies with greater agility. Power Key allows operations to switch among not only lead-acid and lithium-ion, but now also thin plate pure lead (TPPL) battery modes, without external accessories. Like lithium-ion, TPPL produces zero emissions and enables opportunity charging but offers a lower acquisition cost.
Power Key is suitable for:
• Operations that have mixed fleets and need to continue to use lead-acid or are planning to transition to a fully maintenance-free fleet over time.
• Equipment used at multiple sites within an operation.
• Companies focused on accomplishing sustainability goals or regulations compliance.
• Electrification of internal combustion engine (ICE) fleets.
• Added resale value and broader buyer base for used equipment.
Power Key is available on a broad lineup of electric lift truck models, including select narrow aisle rider, walkie pallet jacks, rider pallet trucks and sit-down counterbalanced trucks. Power Key-enabled trucks utilize an electronic Controller Area Network (CANbus) to handshake between the qualified supplier battery and the truck. To switch between power sources and battery suppliers, operators simply use the truck display or controller.
When used with qualified lithium-ion and TPPL batteries, Power Key-enabled trucks also feature a battery-state-of-charge display incorporated within the system—no secondary display required—as well as a battery protection system that triggers the truck to engage a controlled shutdown when the battery reaches full discharge. In lithium-ion or TPPL mode, a low battery early warning system (EWS) also provides the operator with multiple warnings that the truck needs to be charged, based on timing that varies according to the approved battery supplier.
