Nick Pearson from Safepac Professional Movers has replaced his diesel fleet of fork lifts with Mitsubishi electric models powered by solar energy from panels on the warehouse roof. When the sun shines, the fuel is free.
Safepac performs house removals for the US military and the RAF, which means his fork lift operations need to run with military precision. So when Nick approached Mitsubishi dealer Eastern Forklifts last year about upgrading his diesel fleet, he had no plans to switch from diesel trucks to electric, but after taking a Mitsubishi EDiA on a trial basis, everything changed.
Electric vs diesel
“Traditionally, truck users feel obliged to replace diesel with diesel, but the new Mitsubishi EDiA range of electrics delivers higher performance – including acceleration, maximum travel and lift speeds – than most IC engine models, and they’re also cheaper and cleaner to run,” explained Paul Brierley from Eastern Forklifts.
Nick Pearson said that the company is “very heavy” on fork lifts, working them very hard for long periods, so he had always opted for diesel trucks in the past. “Our 16-hour days involve moving large 8 x 8 x 4 feet wooden house removal crates weighing 16-1800 kilos, so when it came to upgrading our fleet, high performance and long shift lengths were key,” he explained.
The ramp test
“We have a 1 in 10 loading ramp, which is the real test for us because you’re using much more torque and energy,” said Nick. “But the EDiA went straight up all day long, no problem. It had pretty much the same performance as our current diesels, so that helped us make our decision.”
Free fuel
But it was the potential for slashing truck running costs that proved the ultimate decider. “We looked at electric versus diesel progressively from a cost point of view,” said Nick. “We wanted to keep our operating costs to a minimum so we put solar panels on the roof of our warehouse to power the electric charger for the trucks. In summer, when there’s more daylight, we plug the truck in and get a free charge, so the run of the fork lift is pretty much for free. Environmentally it’s cleaner, with less carbon and dust affecting household possessions and staff, and we even sell some electricity back, so we’re very happy.”
To find out more about the award-winning Mitsubishi EDiA Forklift Truck range or Eastern Forklifts, call the Greenline 0845 371 3048, contact info@red-diamond.co.uk or visit www.mitsubishi-forklift.co.uk.