Energy that ensures high efficiency  

Duisburg, January 24, 2022 – Clark has relaunched its GEX and GTX series. The 48-volt three- and four-wheel electric forklifts with load capacities of 1,6 to 2 tons are now also available with a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery.

With the GEX and GTX series, Clark introduced counterbalanced forklifts equipped with a Li-Ion battery to the market for the first time and continued to expand its product range in the field of Li-Ion technology.

Customers with intensive application requirements in particular benefit from such features of the Li-Ion battery as its longevity, its fast charging and top-up charging capability as well as the absence of maintenance.

The manoeuvrable GEX- and GTX electric trucks with Li-Ion battery are in demand wherever it is important to deliver maximum performance day after day, reliably and cost-effectively.

Particularly during multi-shift operations in distribution or industry, where high availability is required, or in the food, beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, where clean operation is essential.

Clark Li-Ion battery-powered electric trucks are an essential element that guarantees high handling capacity at low operating costs.

“Clark lithium-ion batteries are efficient energy concentrates that impress with their high availability,” says Rolf Eiten, President and CEO of Clark Europe.

“When developing our lithium-ion solution, it was important to us that the customer could not only benefit from all the advantages of this technology, but also that, in combination with an already proven Clark electric truck range, he would obtain a logistics solution with the usual price-performance ratio, which is also cost-effective for small and medium-sized companies.”

Powerful, wear-free engines  

Two traction motors, each with a power of 4,4 kW and equipped with 48-volt three-phase technology, ensure rapid acceleration and travel speeds of up to 16 km/h. The AC motors used are wear-free and very robust. The Zapi Dual AC control system is equipped with CAN-Bus technology.

Three driving modes are available for efficient use of the truck's energy. Wear-free regenerative braking with the engine brake as well as automatic speed reduction when cornering are also individually adjustable.

Safe use on ramps is guaranteed by the standard ramp function, which prevents unintentional acceleration or rollback of the truck and ensures that the operator always has control of the machine.

The GTX/GEX electric trucks have lift heights of up to 7075mm. The range is available with two wheelbases. The GTX16/GEX16 has a 1312mm wheelbase. The GTX18/GEX18, GTX20s and GEX20s all have a 1420mm wheelbase.

Clark Li-Ion-Power – high availability for low operating costs

The Clark Li-Ion solution consists of the Li-Ion battery with its Battery Management System (BMS) and a high-frequency charger. The battery power is 460 Ah for all models of the GTX/GEX series.

This means that machines with a short wheelbase and those with a longer wheelbase have the same battery power. The 48-volt charger (160 A) only requires a high-current connection (16 A CEE plug) and fully charges the battery in just over 2,5 hours.

The charging status of the Li-Ion battery is displayed on the trolley display. During charging, the charger display shows the charging status. The BMS has a safety shutdown and thus ensures safe use of the battery.

The Li-Ion battery can be recharged at any time and in a very short time – whenever breaks are necessary and without the battery being damaged or its service life being shortened.

Within 10 minutes, approximately 6 to 7% of the total charge can be reached. Decentralized charging points directly at the place of use ensure fast and safe charging at all times.

Li-Ion forklifts can therefore be used around the clock without having to replace the battery. In addition, the operator does not need to have spare batteries or an infrastructure to replace them.

Another advantage of the Li-Ion battery is the fact that it scores points thanks to a constant voltage throughout use. The maximum power is always available ⎼ even if the battery is 85% discharged.

In short, Clark Li-Ion batteries pack a lot of energy into a small space. They have an extremely long life and are ideal for intensive use.

Operators can therefore not only increase their productivity by using Li-Ion batteries, but also save on maintenance, infrastructure and replacement battery costs.

Safe and durable

With safety always at the heart of Clark's concerns, Clark Li-ion batteries are based on lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) technology. In LiFePO4 batteries, the chemical reaction inside the cells does not release oxygen. There is therefore no risk of spontaneous ignition or explosion of the battery.

The use of the battery is therefore very safe. Machines equipped with a LiFePO4 battery operate efficiently even at very low or very high ambient temperatures.

With 2500 guaranteed charge cycles, the life of the Li-ion battery is at least twice as long, or even several times longer depending on use, than that of a conventional lead-acid battery.

And even after that, the battery can still be used for more than 10 years for other purposes. In addition, lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than, for example, lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide (NMC) batteries, because the latter require problematic raw materials, such as cobalt for example. In addition, NMC batteries can catch fire if they go outside certain operating parameters.

“Investing in a forklift equipped with Li-Ion technology is not only profitable for intensive applications, but also very useful for all operators who want to use a maintenance-free, durable and fast-charging battery with a high level of safety,” concludes Rolf Eiten.

An ergonomic workstation for the forklift driver

In addition to high availability and high performance, the GTX/GEX series also has a lot to offer the operator. The extremely spacious driver's station, with generous foot space and ample leg and headroom, allows operators to feel comfortable in their work.

Various adjustable comfort seats with air or mechanical suspension contribute to the operator's comfort. The steering column tilt can be individually adapted to each driver.

The pedals comply with automotive standards. The machine can be controlled either by adjustable mini-levers integrated into the armrest or by hydraulic levers ergonomically arranged on the hood of the trolley.

A change of direction is made via the steering column, the armrest or a double pedal. The high-contrast multi-colour display informs about all important driving parameters.

Storage options for documents and a mobile phone complete the workstation. In addition, thanks to the nested profiles of the mast, the operator has very good visibility of the forks and the load through the mast.

Easy to handle and effortless

The power steering ensures that the operator requires only little steering effort and few turns of the steering wheel when manoeuvring. With a steering angle of 101°, the GEX16-20s four-wheel forklift turns on the spot almost like a three-wheel forklift.

In doing so, the inner front wheel rotates in the opposite direction when the steering is strong. The rear wheel is thus not pushed onto the ground. Tyre wear is therefore significantly lower than with other machines.

The GTX16-20s three-wheel forklift is equipped as standard with double tires on the steering axle. With a steering angle of 90°, the three-wheel forklifts therefore turn on the spot.

Customization for every use

Clark three- and four-wheel electric trucks are available with a wide range of additional equipment, so that they can be individually adapted to a variety of operating conditions.

This includes, among other things, different types of cabins, such as rain protection (steel roof), weather protection (steel roof and windscreen), partial cabin (steel roof, front and rear windscreen and PVC side cladding) and full cabin, mini or mechanical levers, blue LED warning lights, orange seat belt, accessories as well as additional safety options.