The move to electrification has seen two European manufacturers converting ICE vehicles to battery electric.

In a pilot project, Still will convert two service fleet vehicles to electric drive, with more to follow once the test phase is completed successfully.

Still says the introduction of the first electrically powered service vehicles is the next step in its sustainability strategy. For an initial period of one year, data is to be collected within a pilot project on how these alternative drives conform to Still’s service philosophy.

"During this time, we will gain experience and information that we will then evaluate in great detail,” says Stefan Sanny, senior director, facility management and technical services. “This will give us answers to many of our questions, such as: How well does our service perform in rural areas with a less-than-ideal charging infrastructure? What ranges can be achieved with the charged vehicles? How do different weather conditions affect the range of the e-vehicles?”

Based on this experience, Still will decide how to further expand the electrified service fleet in the future. 

Meanwhile, Manitou Group, has signed an exclusive 12-month partnership agreement with Kiloutou, a major player in Europe’s equipment rental sector, to offer electrification kits for Manitou’s used internal combustion engine telehandler. Retrofitting these machines will extend their useful life while reducing their environmental impact, in particular their carbon emissions, in accordance with the commitments that both groups have made in their respective CSR roadmaps, Manitou claims. 

Manitou and Kiloutou, which are both aware of the advantages of constantly optimising the durability of their machinery and equipment, are teaming up to start the first heavy-equipment retrofit project involving a manufacturer and a rental company. This project, which will roll out over the next two years, is aimed at testing the technical and economic feasibility of electrifying telehandlers initially designed and marketed with internal combustion engines. 

The first phase of the test is being carried out on a high lifting height telehandler demonstrator in Kiloutou’s rental fleet. During 2023, this ICE telehandler will be dismantled and reassembled with an electrification kit at Manitou’s plant in Ancenis, then tested in real-life conditions at Kiloutou’s test centre near Lille. 

After the machine clears the test, the Manitou Group will be in a position to offer electrification kits for machines refurbished using new or pre-owned parts, exclusively for Kiloutou Group. This distribution will be carried out for a period of 12 months from the beginning of 2024 on several machines in Kiloutou's fleet. These kits comprise several components including a lithium ion battery, and open the door to switching from internal combustion engines to extremely low-carbon full-electric motors.