Manitou Claims First Telehandler Retrofitted from Diesel to Electric

Manitou and a European rental company have teamed up to develop what they say is the first telehandler retrofitted from a diesel engine to battery power.

If it passes all of its testing, Manitou plans to offer the electrification kit, which it says would help fleets transition from internal combustion engines to electric ones to reduce carbon emissions without having to buy all new equipment.

Manitou reports that the retrofitted telehandler has seen a carbon emissions reduction of 40%. “All the safety criteria are met, and performance is equivalent to the internal combustion version,” the company says.

ManitouManitou and rental company Kiloutou began working together last year on converting a high-lift Manitou telehandler in its rental fleet. The telehandler with an internal combustion engine was dismantled at Manitou’s production plant in Ancenis, France, and reassembled with a lithium-ion-battery electrification kit. The telehandler has been tested at Kiloutou’s testing center and is scheduled to be put to use by a contractor next month.

“At a time when electric is set to become the norm and gradually replace fossil fuels, we see retrofitting as an alternative to mass replacement,” said François Renault, Kiloutou director of equipment and sustainable development. “It is perfectly aligned with a comprehensive fleet upgrade program, without the need to buy everything back.”

The retrofits will be carried out on “several pieces of equipment” that have been in Kiloutou’s fleet for about five years, the companies say. They will eventually be available for rent at Kiloutou’s branches in France.