Whenever we talk about forklift innovation, we have to mention the award-winning Konecranes electric forklift E-VER, which combines durable, heavy-duty lifting machinery with an all-electric drivetrain and the latest eco-efficient features to help customers improve productivity while reducing energy consumption, emissions and costs.


By eliminating the need for fossil fuels, E-VER can decrease energy consumption by up to 70%. It does this through a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery that powers a 110-kW electric drive motor and an 80-kW motor for hydraulics and lifting. One of the benefits of using a Li-ion battery is that it charges quickly, taking only 45 minutes for a full charge to be able to operate for another 4-6 hours. In addition, no exhaust fumes means that the truck releases zero carbon diozide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

"Electric lifting is well-established at Konecranes, but in this project we are bringing electrification to the next level with a highly innovative solution," says Lisa Martinsson, Senior Project Manager, who leads the electric lift truck development program.

Customer needs guide the program. The E-VER has the best energy density on the market, can recover and store energy where possible (for example, when braking), and its optimal performance and lifetime are about three times longer than those of a lead-acid battery of the same capacity. All in all, Li-ion is the most cost-effective option for customers looking to go electric.

With zero fossil fuels, zero emissions from the truck and low noise levels, the E-VER combines the quality, power and productivity of conventional Konecranes forklifts with the latest eco-efficient technology.

Furthermore, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce its climate impact and meet customer demand for equipment using renewable fuels, Konecranes has also been testing the use of HVO100 fossil-free fuel in its conventional diesel lift trucks.

HVO100 is a 100% renewable and fossil-free chemical copy of regular diesel made mostly of vegetable oils combined with waste and residue fat, a recipe that can reduce fossil-based CO2 emissions by up to 90%. Almost the same as regular diesel, renewable HVO100 can be used in most (but not all) diesel engines without further modification.

"By giving them the opportunity to use HVO100 in our diesel trucks, our customers can greatly reduce the CO2 emissions coming from the trucks during use. This is another positive way we can take responsibility in reducing our environmental impact as a manufacturer of heavy vehicles," says Zandra Wallin, Environment Health and Safety Manager, Konecranes Lift Trucks. "At the beginning of 2021, we signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which means we need to actively drive measures and projects that restrict global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C. We are working hard every day to find new sustainable improvements that meet both the SBTi limit and the increasing demands of the world. The ability to use HVO100 and the E-VER forklift prove that our our product development is advancing steadily. "

In the fourth quarter of 2020, Konecranes started testing HVO100 in selected lift trucks at its Markaryd site in southern Sweden and found that the fuel works as efficiently as regular diesel in our new equipment, with no engine modifications needed. This means that HVO100 can be used in all Generation C lift trucks, the latest Konecranes models available on the market, representing around 40% of the company's fleet operating globally.

"There are a few different types of HVO100, but in Markaryd we've only used the version without palm oil or Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD)," adds Zandra.

Nowadays, almost 100% of the machines at Konecranes produced at the Markaryd factory run on this fuel. The estimated reduction in tailpipe CO2 emissions from HVO100-fueled trucks both produced and used by Konecranes is expected to be over 300 tons per year - equivalent to 100 passenger cars driving 15,000 kilometres annually.

Customization is also linked to innovation. Not all industries or operations are the same, as every one of them faces different challenges. It all comes down to choosing the right lift truck - the one with the right performance, combination of standard or optional features, and special attachments.

Konecranes Lift Trucks offers a wide variety of attachments for forklifts, reach stackers and empty container handlers to help the operators in their everyday work. Each vehicle comes fitted with a long list of standard features, and an even longer list of optional features to prepare the lift truck for every possible need. From hydraulic steel slab grab units for reach stackers to fork rotator carriages for lift trucks, they all provide maximum reliability and excellent performance.

For example: Heidelberger Kalksandstein GmbH, a German company specialised in in the production, support, and distribution of the popular construction material sandlime brick, ordered two heavy-duty lift trucks with stone stack grippers.


Said heavy-duty lift trucks must be able to stand the tough conditions of stone production and provide gentle help to make sure the stone packages travel safely from production to the warehouse and to the truck. Under those conditions, Konecranes Lift Trucks designed the heavy-duty lift trucks with stone stack grippers made by SH Anbaugeräte.

These special tools hold stone packages in a secure grip and are large enough to grab several palettes at the same time. The special lift trucks are also equipped with an electronic control system and the Optima cabin of Konecranes Lift Trucks. The latter offers drivers high levels of comfort and an excellent overview thanks to the strutless windscreen.

Thanks to the specially developed stone stack grippers and safety functions, these robust heavy-duty lift trucks transport the sand-lime bricks safely and load them with great precision. In the noise- and vibration damped Optima cabin with air conditioning, DAB radio, and 7-inch touch monitor, the drivers have perfect overview of their machine and control it via joystick.

Ever since we delivered our very first lift truck in 1959, we have worked hard to provide each of our customers with lift trucks that are built for the world they are working in, regardless of industry, lifting capacity or other challenges. Our mission is to find that perfect match, even if it requires us to go to the drawing table and design a brand-new solution.

Today, we sell and support our lift trucks all over the world as part of Konecranes, the world's leading provider of smart lifting solutions, together with a wide distributor network that gives us the local presence to support you when you need us.

We build lift trucks for your world.


Konecranes Lift Trucks

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