Lithium-Ion Does the Work of Three Standard Batteries in One

Exide Technologies announced today at MODEX 2018 the launch of its GNB LiFTFORCE LPX lithium-ion battery in the U.S. The LiFTFORCE LPX can charge in just 15 minutes, up to eight times faster than a traditional lead-acid battery, and provides increased cycle life and lower maintenance requirements for Class I, II, and III forklifts as well as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and other demanding applications.

It's designed for large distribution centers and companies that run heavy-duty or multiple shifts looking to lower their operational costs.

The LiFTFORCE LPX was first introduced in Europe in 2013 under the brand name GNB Sonnenschein® Lithium, where it has demonstrated high performance for around-the-clock powering of forklifts. It has proven especially valuable in three-shift operations where battery replacement would normally be required.

"Lithium-ion battery applications are on the rise globally due to the exceptional benefits in capacity, size, maintenance and performance," said Ted Becker, Exide Technologies President, Americas. "The LiFTFORCE LPX is a great addition to our extensive battery portfolio, which includes both lead-acid and lithium-ion options to meet the evolving power needs of the material handling industry."

Top overall benefits of the LiFTFORCE LPX are streamlined operations, reduced downtime and lower total cost of ownership than traditional lead-acid batteries. Additional benefits include the following:

• Greater energy efficiency: same energy as a lead-acid battery in a smaller and lighter package
• 24/7 forklift operation using the same battery with only short bursts of recharging needed while workers are on breaks
• Freed-up floor space for storage and operations due to the ability to use wall chargers; this also eliminates the need to shuffle cumbersome batteries in and out of the forklift
• Lower maintenance requirements than lead-acid batteries due to eliminated need for watering
• Specialized electronic BMS (Battery Management System) monitors the status and health of each battery

The LiFTFORCE LPX battery will be commercially available beginning in July.