Toyota Material Handling Company (TMHC) has big plans for its 7FBEF electric three-wheeler, launched at Manutention in March.

"Three-wheelers are typically a European product," said TMHC chief engineer and general manager Yasuhisa Yamauchi.

While three-wheelers commanded 55 percent of the European electric counterbalance forklift market, penetration in Japan was far less significant. But Toyota was confident it would now "introduce the three-wheeler to Japan".

The 7FEBF is being manufactured on three continents. Production started in Japan in January, the USA last month, and European production starts this month in Ancenis, France.

Toyota Industrial Equipment Europe (TIEE) president Shinya Furukawa said up to 12 units a day were planned to leave the Ancenis factory, and the company planned to make between 1,200 and 1,400 machines this year.

About 60 percent of the French 7FBEF's components are sourced from France. Other parts, including the motor, are built in Japan.

The 7FBEF, which features Toyota's SAS stability and AC2 power systems, is available in four versions, with lift capacities from 1.5 tonnes to two tonnes.

TIEE counterbalance trucks product manager Benoit Meunier said Toyota increased its European counterbalance and warehousing market share by one percent in 2002. The company sold almost 16,000 forklifts, 1,500 of which were three-wheelers.

"The European market is stable, (but) we think we can still do better," he said.