Jungheinrich’s electric lift truck has been named International Forklift of the Year (IFOY).
Having already been recognised with an IF Design prize, means it is the second prestigious award that the ETV 216i has received this year.
Nominated in the warehouse truck category, the German OEM’s Board Member for sales, Christian Erlach was presented the IFOY award by the Federal Transport Minister, Andreas Scheuer at a ceremony at the Hofburg in Vienna, Austria.
The jury’s decision to award the lithium-ion battery-powered lift truck the prize was based on the “outstanding customer benefit” that the vehicle offered.
Erlach said, “We are the first manufacturer in the industry to consistently implement the advantages of lithium-ion technology in the design of our trucks.
“The built-in lithium-ion battery makes the ETV 216i the most compact and best performing truck in its class.
“Jungheinrich customers will benefit from better ergonomics, easier manoeuvrability and greater efficiency.
“In the future, we will also consistently leverage the advantages of lithium-ion technology in the design of other truck types, thereby creating a whole new generation of forklift trucks.”
The ETV 216i achieves a significant increase in warehouse productivity compared to conventional reach trucks, as by using an additional cast counterweight shifts the truck’s centre of gravity to a more favorable position further back. This also enhances performance, so it can lift a nominal load of 1.6 metric tons up to 9 meters – 230 kg more than comparable vehicles, with the lifting speed with load increased by 23%.
