Hyster Developing A Fuel-Cell Powered Container Handler
Portland, Oregon,-based Hyster recently received an infusion of cash to assist the company in building a Nuvera fuel cell-powered zero-emissions container handling truck.
The Port Of LA Is Going Green
The grant comes via the California Air Resources Board (CARB), part of California Climate Investments, an organization dedicated to solving climate change. Hyster and its subsidiary Nuvera intend for the project to culminate in a container-handling truck that will be able to operate for a full day without requiring hydrogen refueling. Hyster also plans to outfit the machine with fully integrated wireless fast charging.
A New Kind Of Hybrid
According to Lyndle McCurley, Hyster Vice President for Big Truck Sales, Americas, pure-electric vehicles can present problems in that they often need to recharge after only a few hours. Hyster’s in-development container handler avoids these issues with on-the-fly recharging performed by the onboard hydrogen fuel cell. “Electric charging for a large number of trucks during the day also adds complexity to overall work planning in the terminal, which can be avoided using hydrogen.”
The new prototype is also expected to leverage Hyster’s exclusive energy recovery systems, which debuted earlier this year. These technologies are capable of capturing and storing energy from many of the machine’s most common functions, including lowering loads and braking. This enables the battery to last longer and reduces the overall cost of energy.
For those interested in learning more, Hyster plans to attend the Greenport Congress in Valencia, California, from October 16 to 19. If you’re looking to buy a new or used Hyster lift truck or other Hyster equipment, you’ll find a variety of models available for sale every day on MachineryTrader.com.
Source: Hyster
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