New battery technology ready for testing.

AllCell Technologies, a Chicago-based lithium-ion battery pack manufacturer, and LG Chem, a leading lithium-ion battery maker, have developed a high-performance, long-lasting Li-ion battery for materials handling applications.

The battery is designed as a drop-in replacement for lead-acid batteries with fast charge/discharge capabilities and four to five times longer life.

A base model (26V, 93 Ah) with CAN bus communication has been certified for air shipment and is currently available for field testing with strategic partners in the materials handling market.

In a field traditionally dominated by lead-acid technology, lithium-ion is emerging as an attractive alternative due to its fast charge capability. The ability to perform high-rate charges throughout the day eliminates the need for customers to swap batteries during multi-shift operation, greatly reducing battery inventory cost and space. This capability is further enabled by the growth of autonomously guided vehicles that can optimise charging time and never forget to charge when idle.

AllCell CEO Said Al-Hallaj says his company has been working closely with strategic partners in the materials handling industry and "we plan to position our new battery with LG Chem to be cost-competitive and to provide our partners with a strategic edge in the materials handling market".

AllCell designs and manufactures lithium-ion battery packs for transportation and renewable energy application. AllCell's products avoid the need for expensive, complicated, and inefficient active thermal management systems, replacing pumps, motors and hoses with a passive system that requires no energy to operate and has no moving parts.

LG Chem is one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery manufacturers with significant marketshare in consumer, automotive and stationary applications.

A Navigant Research report estimates that revenue from fuel cells, fast chargers and Li-ion batteries in the materials handling market will reach USD556 million in North America by 2020, up from USD121million in 2013. Industry leaders such as Toyota, Raymond and Hyster-Yale have announced products or product testing with lithium-ion batteries.

Forkliftaction.com News recently published two special reports on battery technology. The first can be found here, while the second is on this link.