From lead-acid to lithium-ion: Battery replacement and performance optimization in industrial forklifts

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 3, 1091 - 1105, 25.09.2025

Fatih Bağmancı , Neslihan Yuca

https://doi.org/10.58559/ijes.1717942

Öz

Automotive and heavy machinery manufacturers, not remaining indifferent to these developments, have accelerated their efforts to reduce carbon emissions significantly over the last decade. Leading companies in the automotive and machinery sectors have developed environmentally friendly technologies to address the harmful effects of carbon monoxide in exhaust gases on humans and the environment. Problems related to battery power, charging times, and lifespan have been overcome, and the prices of necessary materials have significantly decreased. The resulting high profitability after use has led to considerable interest in electric vehicles and machinery from both individual users and corporate companies. Electric forklifts, the subject of this study, initially entered the market with traction batteries due to the high cost and safety concerns of lithium-ion batteries at the time. Although traction batteries have lower safety risks compared to lithium-ion batteries, they are insufficient in terms of economic lifespan. This study examines the theoretical results and costs of transitioning to lithium-ion batteries for the electric forklifts of a company that has been using traction batteries for approximately nine years. Since the wear and power consumption of each electric forklift vary due to different working conditions, data was collected in real time from three electric forklifts operating in various environments. These forklifts performed loading, unloading, and transport tasks under their regular shift conditions. Using this data, a load profile was created, and the current draw rates were determined based on the tasks performed during a shift. The aim was to design the most suitable and cost-effective lithium-ion battery possible based on these findings.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Electrical forklift , Lithium ion battery , Lead acid battery

Proje Numarası

45789

Kaynakça

• [1] Minav TA, Murashko K, Laurila L, Pyrhonen J. Forklift with a lithium-titanate battery during a lifting/lowering cycle: analysis of the recuperation capability. Autom. Constr. 2013; 35: 275–284.
• [2] Yu YX, Ahn KK. Energy saving of an electric forklift with hydraulic accumulator. In Proceedings of the 2019 19th International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems (ICCAS), Jeju, Korea, 15–18 October 2019; pp. 408–411.
• [3] ADEME Technical Report. Automobiles: Données 2020.
• [4] Li J, Lutzemberger G, Poli D, Scarpelli C, Piazza T. Simulation and experimental validation of a hybrid forklift truck. In Proceedings of the 2019 AEIT International Conference of Electrical and Electronic Technologies for Automotive (AEIT AUTOMOTIVE), Torino, Italy.
• [5] Dezza FC, Musolino V, Piegari L, Rizzo R. Hybrid battery-supercapacitor system for full electric forklifts. IET Electr. Syst. Transp. 2019; 9: 16–23.
• [6] Liu P, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Zhang O, Lun F. Research summary on energysaving technology of forklift lifting system. Proceedings of 5th International Conference on Electromechanical Control Technology and Transportation, ICECTT 2020: 62–65.
• [7] Yuan X, Li L, Gou H, Dong T. Energy and environmental impact of battery electric vehicle range. China Applied Energy 2015; 157: 75-84.
• [8] Lakeman J B. Real-time charge efficiency monitoring and on-charge gas evolution in tall lead acid traction cells. Journal of Power Sources 1989; 27(2): 155-165.
• [9] Sharma S, Sarma P, Bordoloi S. et al. Estimation of coulombic efficiency of lead acid battery for range determination of electric vehicle. 1st Conference on Power, Dielectric and Energy Management at NERIST (ICPDEN). IEEE: 1-6.
• [10] Stevens J W, Corey G P. A study of lead-acid battery efficiency near topof- charge and the impact on PV system design. Conference Record of the Twenty Fifth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference. IEEE, 1996: 1485-1488.
• [11] Schaltz E, Khaligh A, Rasmussen PO. Influence of battery/ultracapacitor energy-storage sizing on battery lifetime in a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle. IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol. 2009; 58: 3882–3891.
• [12] Alshaebi A, Dauod H, Weiss J, Yoon SW. Evaluation of different forklift battery systems using statistical analysis and discrete event simulation. Proceedings of the 2017 Industrial and Systems Engineering Conference.
• [13] da Silva CT, Dias BmdA, Araújo RE, Pellini EL, Laganá AAM. Battery model ıdentification approach for electric forklift application. Energies 2021; 14: 6221.
• [14] Link S, Stephan M, Weymann L, Hettesheimer T. Techno-economic suitability of batteries for different mobile applications—a cell selection methodology based on cost parity pricing. World Electr. Veh. J. 2024; 15: 401.
• [15] Saeed BM, Yilmaz HC, Kivanc OC, Tuncay RN. Development of a hybrid energy storage system for a forklift vehicle. 6th Global Power, Energy and Communication Conference (GPECOM), Budapest, Hungary, 2024; 120-125.
• [16] Théophile P, Tedjani M. Sylvain D, Damien F, Wilfried U. Sizing of lithium-ion battery/supercapacitor hybrid energy storage system for forklift vehicle. IEEE Vehicular Power and Propulsion Conference, Hanoi, Vietnam.
• [17] Hannan, M.A. (2018). Member, S. State-of-the-Art and Energy Management System of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicle Applications: Issues and Recommendations. IEEE Access 2018, 6, 19362–19378.
• [18] Amrouche SO, Rekioua D, Rekioua T, Bacha S. Overview of energy storage in renewable energy systems. Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 2016; 41: 20914–20927.
• [19] Babin A, Rizoug N, Mesbahi T, Boscher D, Hamdoun Z. Total cost of ownership ımprovement of commercial electric vehicles using battery sizing and ıntelligent charge method. IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl. 2018; 54: 1691–1700.
• [20] Lototskyy MV, Tolj I, Parsons A, Smith F, Sita C, Linkov V. Performance of electric forklift with low-temperature polymer exchange membrane fuel cell power module and metal hydride hydrogen storage extension tank. J. Power Sources 2016; 316: 239–250.