DC Velocity - September 2013

str at e g ic i ns i gh t

L I FT T RU CK F L EE T MAN AGE M EN T

36 DC VELOCITY SEPTEMBER 2013 www.dcvelocity.com tunities to buy less-expensive, lower-tier trucks, but he expects that supply will dry up in about a year.

Lift truck makers counter that the fuel savings from their Tier 4 final models compared with their previous models should offset the higher prices. Hyundai and Hyster, for instance, expect to boost average fuel efficiency by 10 percent and 15 percent, respectively, in the models they’ve scheduled for rollout. Mitsubishi and Cat, meanwhile, have both achieved a 22-percent improvement in fuel consumption. But Toyota may be the champion when it comes to fuel savings: The company is citing a 30-percent average reduction in fuel consumption for its 8-Series diesel trucks compared with the previous model.

Those improvements are due not only to hotter-burning, more efficient engines, but also to manufacturers’ concerted efforts to cut fuel consumption—and thus, the total cost of ownership—through such innovations as regenerative braking, automatic engine shut-off, idle management, and on-demand hydraulic, cooling, and power steering. But there could be hidden costs. Engines that use selective catalytic reduction technology require a reagent called diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) that is approximately one-third urea and two-thirds water. “Trucks utilizing this technology require separate DEF tanks and regular fill-ups, creating additional costs for the user,” Mayes notes.

Maintenance costs should not be much higher, according
to the lift truck makers. Depending on the type of emissions
equipment, infrequent or even no cleaning (in the case of
DOC systems) will be required. Some diesel particulate fil-
ters, for instance, could go 4,000 hours or more before they
need cleaning. But the Tier 4 final engines are highly elec-
tronic and thus “more complex than the diesel engines of
yore,” says MCFA’s Dumdie. “As a result, they are a lot dif-
ferent to troubleshoot.”
There’s speculation that the advent of ultra-clean diesel
engines could cause a shift in the lift truck market. For one
thing, when pricing eventually comes down, there may not
be as big a cost difference between electric and IC trucks as
there is now, Webb suggests. “I think we’ll see a more level
playing field for the initial cost of a truck, battery, and
charger versus the initial cost of a diesel truck.”
The Tier 4 final engines, moreover, will be clean enough to
use indoors in some areas, making them appropriate for at
least some applications where they’ve long been barred.
Diesels could also become more attractive in California, where
the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has imposed
fleetwide emissions limits. Instead of having to replace older
trucks with electrics or other power sources to keep a fleet’s
total emissions below the applicable limits, Toyota’s Faiman
says, buyers could purchase the powerful diesels they want
and still be in compliance with the regulations.

That situation could soon spread to other states. The EPA has delayed approving CARB’s diesel emissions rules for now, Faiman says, but if and when it does, other states with strict air-quality-attainment goals could follow California’s lead and adopt fleet emissions averaging, too. ;

Tier 4 final lift trucks

Every manufacturer of diesel-powered lift trucks is working to develop models that comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 final emissions control regulations. Here’s a quick look at some that are already on the market or will be very shortly.

Cat Lift Trucks says its DP40N1 and DP55N1 series of 8,000- to 12,000-pound capacity diesel pneumatic-tire lift trucks provide a 21.6-percent increase in fuel efficiency. The diesel particulate filter (DPF) will automatically regenerate, and the Perkins 854F engine will not require any ash service. ( www.cat-lift.com)

Crown Equipment’s Hamech V811 Series pneumatic-tire forklift offers lifting capacities of up to 11,000 pounds for a variety of outdoor applications. Its Deutz TD 3.6-liter engine is equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) exhaust system that is maintenance-free and does not require periodic service. ( www.hamech.com)

The first of Hyundai’s extensive line of Tier 4 final lift
trucks will be available in the fourth quarter of 2013; the
others will debut in 2014 and 2015. Trucks of up to 3. 3
tons will use a diesel particulate filter system. Larger vehi-
cles will use a diesel oxidation catalyst and selective cat-
alytic reduction system. ( www.hceamericas.com)
Hyster’s H80-120FT Series of Tier 4 final lift trucks will
feature an efficient Kubota 3.8-liter engine with exhaust
gas recirculation and a diesel particulate filter. The pneu-
matic-tire forklifts will handle the toughest duty with lift-
ing capacities ranging from 8,000 to 12,000 pounds.
( www.hyster.com)
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks’ FD40N1–FD55N1 series of
8,000- to 12,000-pound capacity diesel pneumatic-tire
forklifts provide a 21.6-percent increase in fuel efficiency.
The diesel particulate filter on the Perkins 854F engine
does not require any ash service and automatically regen-
erates during normal operation. ( www.mit-lift.com)

Toyota Industrial Equipment’s 8-Series pneumatic-tire trucks handle loads of 8,000 to 17,500 pounds and feature a Toyota-built four-cylinder engine with a diesel oxidation catalyst, an electronic common-rail fuel injection system, and an intercooled turbocharger. The 8-Series offers on average 30-percent lower fuel usage with as much horsepower and greater torque than its six-cylinder predecessor. ( www.toyotaforklift.com)