Prototype forklift with hybrid fuel cell
December 1st 2005

Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) has independently developed a fuel cell hybrid system for forklift use. A prototype FCHV-F featuring the system was displayed at CeMAT.

TICO's fuel cell hybrid system has been developed in co-operation with Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), enabling TICO to take advantage of TMC's advanced technology and share components with the automotive field. With these advantages, it aims to further develop highperformance, low-cost fuel cell systems.

In line with Toyota's environmental priorities, fuel cell technology significantly reduces harmful emissions.

Using hydrogen as its main power source, a fuel cell forklift produces electricity without combustion and generates zero CO2 emissions.

According to Toyota, fuel cell forklifts also contribute to cost reductions. Although some technical issues remain to be solved before the use of fuel cell forklifts becomes widespread, these issues are expected to be overcome.

Fuel cell forklifts require minimal refilling and significantly less maintenance than electric forklifts, whose batteries must be periodically charged, refilled with water, and replaced. In addition, the fuel cell hybrid system ensures constant power delivery and performance, eliminating the reduction in voltage output that occurs as batteries discharge.

These and other features make fuel cell forklifts suited to conditions such as those found at the large distribution centres, where forklifts often run continuous 24-hour shifts.

Individual plants are able to establish their own hydrogen fuelling stations.

The adoption of fuel cell powered forklifts will result in effectively lowering total logistics costs, says the company.