Pictured left to right with an SL30RTE are Ed Bisdee from battery supplier Hyperdrive Innovation with Snorkel’s engineering manager Jason Lovell, commercial director Stephen Irish, CEO Matthew Elvin and manufacturing chief John Gill
Powered access platform manufacturer Snorkel has started up full production at its Wearside factory of two new lithium-powered Speed Level scissor lifts.
The new models, the Snorkel SL26RTE and SL30RTE, were initially previewed at the Bauma 2019 trade show earlier this year and are now in production at the Snorkel’s Vigo Centre plant in Washington, Tyne & Wear.
Both lifts are completely zero emission thanks to lithium-ion battery packs with built-in battery management system (BMS), and an integrated electric powertrain developed with Hyperdrive Innovation, a Sunderland-based developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery technology for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The electric Speed Level models are offered with a choice of lithium-ion battery pack configurations to suit different applications, including a high capacity option for long distance driving and tunnel work.
Snorkel chief manufacturing officer John Gill said: “We are pleased to have signed an official supply agreement with Hyperdrive Innovation, with whom Snorkel has worked closely with to develop a stable electric powertrain that can deliver the reliability and performance that our customers require. Following very positive feedback to our preview at Bauma, the design has undergone thorough testing, both in concept and in field evaluations, and we are confident that these models will exceed our customers’ expectations.”
Snorkel claims that the use of lithium-ion battery packs reduces running costs by up to 95% when compared to a diesel engine and are requires substantially less maintenance.
Fitted with a 2.5kWh 50A battery charger, the battery packs can be fully charged in less than six hours, Snorkel says.
The Snorkel SL26RTE has a maximum platform height of eight metres, a lift capacity of 680kg and a 1.72 x 4.6-metre platform. It weighs 3,500kg.
The larger SL30RTE has a maximum platform height of nine metres and a maximum platform capacity of 590kg. Drivable at full height, the deck is 1.72 x 4.23 metres and it weighs 3,450kg.
