Linde Material Handling launched its first automated counterbalance forklift, the Linde E-Matic, at its Automation Summit held in Germany last week, with the new forklift scheduled for release in 2027.

The Linde E-Matic has been designed for outdoor use and has a load capacity of 2.3T.

It features side shifting capabilities, a lithium-ion battery, and extensive navigation and safety technologies. 

Linde says the E-Matic will initially be used for horizontal transport between drop-off points on the ground or stationary conveyor systems. 

Pre-series projects are expected to start with a select group of customers as early as 2026, with this expected to “contribute directly to further development and series maturity”.

Linde says as the E-Matic progresses through development stages, it will be equipped to handle an expanded range of tasks, including navigation between indoor and outdoor environments, traversing larger inclines, and managing the storage and retrieval of goods from racks or block warehouses. 

It will also be capable of performing lateral loading and unloading operations for trucks.

“With the introduction of the first counterbalanced forklift, we have successfully automated the core product of our Linde brand,” says Ulrike Just, senior brand representative at Linde MH. 

“Our objective is to be the first major industrial truck manufacturer to put the vehicle into series production. This comes as a direct response to the numerous requests we have received from our customers.”