EQS-News: KION Group launches fuel cell systems for industrial trucks

KION Group launches fuel cell systems for industrial trucks

• New 24-volt fuel cell system for warehouse trucks
• 48-volt system for other warehouse trucks and forklifts to follow
• Valeria Gargiulo, CPSO: “Zero-emission, sustainable drive system with fast refueling.”

Frankfurt am Main, November 15, 2023 – The KION Group has launched its own fuel cell systems for its industrial trucks. The global intralogistics company has developed a 24-volt system for warehouse trucks. Up to 5,000 fuel cell systems per year can be manufactured on the new production line at the Hamburg plant. The Group is investing more than €11 million in this technology. A 48-volt system is to be added to the fuel cell portfolio in the next years.

Valeria Gargiulo, Chief People & Sustainability Officer of KION GROUP AG, explains the advantages of the fuel cell system: “Our move into the production of hydrogen drives enables us to meet the growing demand from our customers for an emission-free and sustainable drive system that can be refueled quickly. It means we can now offer our customers everything from a single source: the truck, the fuel cell systems, and the aftersales service.”

Simple and practical, fast and clean

Fuel cell technology offers many advantages. Hydrogen drives produce zero emissions during operation, which makes them ideal for use in the enclosed space of warehouses. If the hydrogen comes from renewable sources, for example biogas or electrolysis using solar or wind power, its use is also climate-neutral. A complete refueling only takes between three and five minutes. This keeps the amount of time that vehicles are out of operation to a minimum and increases their availability. When it comes to multi-shift operation and large fleets, these benefits add up. Clean fuel cell drives are a practical alternative to conventional lead-acid batteries in industries such as pharmaceuticals and food, where hygiene is critical.

Fuel cell technology in industrial trucks

In fuel cell systems, power is generated by a chemical reaction between oxygen (O₂) and hydrogen (H₂), which feeds a compact lithium-ion battery. The hybrid combination then delivers power to the drive and lift motors. The fuel cell directly generates the electrical energy needed to operate the truck. The by-products of this ‘cold combustion’ are nothing but heat and water.
 

The Company

The KION Group is among the world’s leading suppliers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions. Its portfolio encompasses industrial trucks such as forklift trucks and warehouse trucks, as well as integrated automation technology and software solutions for the optimization of supply chains, including all related services. Across more than 100 countries worldwide, the KION Group’s solutions improve the flow of material and information within factories, warehouses, and distribution centers.

The MDAX-listed Group is the largest manufacturer of industrial trucks in the EMEA region in terms of units sold in 2021. In China, it is the leading foreign manufacturer (as measured by revenue in 2021) and number three overall. The KION Group is also one of the world’s leading providers of warehouse automation (as measured by revenue in 2021).

With an installed base of more than 1.7 million industrial trucks at the end of 2022, the KION Group’s customers include companies of various sizes in numerous industries on six continents. The Group currently has more than 41,000 employees and generated revenue of around €11.1 billion in 2022.

Current KION Group images can be found in our image database at https://mediacenter.kiongroup.com/categories and on the websites of our various brand companies.

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Disclaimer 

This release and the information contained herein are for information purposes only and do not constitute a prospectus or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ significantly from the results that are currently expected due to various risk factors and uncertainties such as changes in economic or industry-specific conditions, changes in the market environment or political situation, changes in domestic or international legislation, interest rate or exchange rate fluctuations, legal disputes and investigations, and the availability of financial resources. We do not assume any responsibility for updating the forward-looking statements in this release.

Further information for the media

Frank Grodzki
Vice President External Communications & Group Newsroom
Tel: +49 (0)69 201 107 496
Mobile: +49 (0)151 6526 2916
frank.grodzki@kiongroup.com
 

Christopher Spies
Senior Manager Corporate Communications

Tel: +49 (0)69 201 107 725
Mobile: +49 (0)151 1406 5227
christopher.spies@kiongroup.com

Further information for investors

Sebastian Ubert
Vice President Investor Relations
Tel: +49 (0)69 201 107 329
sebastian.ubert@kiongroup.com

Raj Junginger
Senior Manager Investor Relations
Tel: +49 (0)69 201 107 942
raj.junginger@kiongroup.com