Mitsubishi's new fuel cell forklift

A new general-purpose fuel cell (FC) forklift equipped with a portable cassette for supplying hydrogen has been developed in a partnership between three companies.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Nichiyu and JFE Container Co worked together to develop the FC forklift. MHI developed the vehicle system, JFE Container the cassette and Nichiyu supplied the battery forklift.

The forklift's development was funded by a grant from the Japanese ministry of environment's global warming program.

A portable hydrogen cassette is used to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell that is mounted on the forklift. The units have been tested in a range of different environments including cold storage rooms and outdoors.

A Mitsubishi spokesperson says the forklift is available now in Japan and will be available globally in the first half of 2010.

"The main features of the forklift are operator comfort, it will be economical and safe to use, and will be environmentally friendly," the spokesperson says.

Forkliftaction.com News has been following hydrogen fuel cells advancements and recently reported on GenDrive fuel cell units from Plug Power Inc that featured on the US Hydrogen Road Tour (Forkliftaction.com News #374).