Photo: PosiCharge

AeroVironment Inc (AV) has formed an alliance with Toyota Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) under which TMHU forklift dealers carry AV's PosiCharge systems for fast-charging batteries.

The alliance between a fast-charge system maker and a major forklift manufacturer is the first of which AV is aware, says Steven Gitlin, director of AV marketing strategy.

AV has other arrangements under which Ford Motor Co, retailer Ikea and Southwest Airlines use AV fast-charge systems. "Ford decided a few years ago to outfit its entire North American operations (with AV systems) for all forklifts," Gitlin notes. "Similarly, Ikea has multiple installations of our systems."

Other US-based suppliers of fast-charge systems include Power Designers USA LLC of Madison, Wisconsin and Aker Wade Power Technologies LLC of Charlottesville, Virginia.

The AV-TMHU alliance provides for the availability of PosiCharge systems through 68 authorised Toyota forklift leaders with 190 locations throughout the US.

Each AV PosiCharge system costs USD7,500 to USD10,000 per vehicle, depending on which model is used. PosiCharge products for use in one or more categories of Class 1-3 forklifts include the ELT, DVS, MVS and SVS systems. Differences involve duty-cycle requirements and amperage delivery strength for single or multi-vehicle charging.

AV began placing PosiCharge systems in customer facilities in 2000, usually as a retrofit in place of traditional battery recharging programs that require dedicated storage and battery-swap-out locations.

"PosiCharge systems can be placed around a facility" and save 15-30 minutes of employee time per shift, Gitlin says. "Our system has a (semiconductor) chip that identifies the battery" and puts in a charge at a high current suitable for that specific battery "in a shorter amount of time while monitoring the temperature and health of the battery".

PosiCharge Systems accounted for sales of USD18.6 million, or 11.6%, of AeroVironment's USD215.7 million revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30. Small unmanned aircraft systems, usually for military applications, generate the bulk of sales for Monrovia-based AeroVironment.