Logistics TV 48 also focuses on the electrification of the forklift fleet at DHL Aviation. DHL Aviation was looking for a solution that perfectly combines sustainability and maximum availability of the installations. This was found in collaboration with STILL.
When renewing the forklift fleet, STILL supplied 117 electrical devices, from compact pallet trucks to heavy forklift trucks, all equipped with lithium-ion batteries. At least as important is the associated battery management system, which was fully integrated into DHL Aviation’s existing EMS system.
The heart of the solution is a Smart Energy Unit that centrally controls the charging process of all devices. By smartly spreading energy consumption over time and assigning priorities based on the state of charge of the batteries, all trucks remain usable without exceeding the available grid power. In this way, peak loads are avoided and energy consumption is actively managed.
The first results are clearly measurable: energy savings of up to 16% have already been achieved. For the future, DHL Aviation is investigating further optimizations, such as adjusted battery capacities and interim charging, to use the electric fleet even more efficiently.
