The new standard in the forklift industry

The new Linde E and Xi electric forklifts, with lift capacities ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 tons set a new industry standard in performance, ergonomics and compact design. The wide range of models ensures a perfect match for a wide range of customer requirements. The Linde Xi10 to Xi20 models feature an integrated 90-volt lithium-ion battery and a synchronous reluctance motor for high acceleration and fast lift/lower speeds. The Linde E14 to E20 models offer versatility, allowing operators to switch between lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries or continue to use existing batteries on the plug-and-play principle.

Logistics hotspots demand top performance

Lightweight products can be pretty heavy. The logistics team at Germany's Klingele Paper & Packaging certainly agrees with this statement, as the lightweight products they handle in their corrugated board factory are a daily challenge for both the team and their forklifts. Corrugated may be a relatively simple product, but the operations that take place to move goods around their warehouse are anything but. The demand for their packaging products is so great that 1,500 pallets must be moved and 60 to 80 trucks of goods loaded within 24 hours. "Our warehouse workers sometimes spend seven and a half hours out of an eight-hour shift in their forklifts, so the truck has to meet several requirements," says logistics manager Nicolai Leese. This made the company the ideal candidate to use the powerful electric forklift, the Linde Xi20 P, to test.

Greater availability thanks to Li-ION

Initially lead-acid trucks were still used in their warehouse, but the company has now switched completely to lithium-ion forklifts from Linde. "In the past, each forklift had to have three lead-acid batteries available: one for driving, one for charging and one for cooling. Moving away from that has been a boon for us, not only because of the impressive availability we can easily achieve through the combination of regular interim charging of the Li-ION trucks and a back up truck, but also because of the constant power and improved occupational health and safety due to the much easier operation. In short, the lithium-ion forklifts simply perform much better," Leese explained.

Where performance, comfort and stability meet

The new series of electric forklifts don't just sound good on paper. In a performance test certified by TÜV NORD, their superiority over leading competitive models was also demonstrated. The test compared unloading time, energy costs and total cost per unloading process, and in all three categories it was these new Linde trucks that achieved significantly better results than the competition.

The forklifts are also in a class of their own in terms of space and comfort. Unlike conventional electric forklifts, the battery in the Linde Xi models is permanently integrated into the truck. This eliminates the need for a battery box as in other models, which made it possible to lower the (now larger) step in and redesign the driver's workstation. In addition, drivers experience a pleasant driving experience because of the air-suspended driver's seat and because of the special elastomeric ring bearings, which decouple the mast, drive shaft and steering shaft from the chassis.

Warehouse employee at Klingele Paper & Packaging, Matthias Harms, is also delighted with the excellent stability of the forklifts: "We sometimes drive around with three pallets on our forks, but even with this kind of load, the Linde Xi always remains stable; you feel absolutely safe." This balance of stability and maneuverability is achieved in part by the Linde combination steer axle. It is thanks to this axle that the four-wheeled Linde Xi20 P offers almost the same maneuverability as the three-wheeled version with the swing axle, which is also available.

A born winner

The new Linde models are not only real powerhouses, they are also technically ahead of their time, setting new standards in performance and ergonomics. And because they are already equipped with numerous safety systems as standard, the driving performance is second to none and the operators are ergonomically and comfortably seated, you can rightly speak of a born winner.