Hyster Company announces the launch of Power Cellect, an optional package available on 27 Hyster® electric forklift models. Power Cellect empowers users to easily switch power sources in electric trucks between traditional lead acid and low maintenance battery solutions like thin plate pure lead (TPPL) and lithium-ion. The solution provides a straightforward path for customers to change the truck’s battery type, and it is particularly effective for fleets transitioning to low maintenance battery solutions over time as well as for equipment that will be used for different applications with varied battery availability over the course of its life.

Hyster previously offered a lithium-ion ready option on electric trucks, which enabled a smooth switch between lead acid and lithium-ion batteries. Power Cellect expands on the compatibility of lithium-ion ready by adding TPPL batteries to the mix and uses an electronic Controller Area Network (CANbus) for communication between a qualified battery and the truck. Once the battery is changed out, truck settings can be easily changed to switch power sources.

“Whether sustainability goals, regulations compliance or other forces are driving electrification decisions, the common thread is that operations need flexibility. Power Cellect avoids locking operations into a single power option for the life of their equipment, and eliminates the complications and compromises of third-party setups,” says James Nielson, Hyster Senior Business Product Manager for Motive Power and Electrification. “Facilitating this fluidity across battery types is the latest example of Hyster powering possibilities for forklift fleets working in all our customers’ applications, even the toughest, most demanding jobs.”

In addition to providing a convenient shift in motive power sources, Power Cellect offers major functional benefits. The truck-side battery early warning system includes lift interrupt and traction performance cutback capabilities, and the truck’s battery discharge indicator (BDI) accurately portrays state of charge across approved battery types, thereby eliminating the need for secondary displays and indicators. An internal battery protection function triggers a controlled shutdown when the battery reaches complete discharge, and operations can view additional battery data, such as battery state of health and lifetime discharge, when the Hyster Tracker telemetry system is added.