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OneCharge is spearheading the adoption of lithium forklift batteries in Latin America (LATAM). Max Khabur, Director of Marketing at OneCharge and a Chairman of the Advanced Energy Council, representing a group of companies, comments.

While the region’s unique challenges demand a high level of flexibility in both business strategies and product offerings, the main pillars of lithium batteries’ success remain the same across various industries: sustainability, superior performance, and a reduced total cost of ownership.

In LATAM, transitioning to green energy faces a few unique hurdles. One significant challenge is the region’s tax rules, which in some countries require a substantial portion of battery production and components to be sourced locally.

This emphasis on localization is linked to another issue: the rate of electrification. Only about 45% of forklifts are electric in LATAM, compared to 70% in the USA. This lower rate of electrification can be partly attributed to the high upfront costs of electric equipment. That is why many LATAM companies are jumping straight from diesel and propane forklifts to electric-powered lift trucks with lithium batteries, bypassing the lead-acid battery-powered models of the past, which did not offer a clear path to a 20–40% reduction of the total cost of ownership of the equipment.

The high cost of capital dictates tight calculations and results in longer sales cycles. In some cases, the need to carefully budget and plan extends the sales process for up to 2–3 years.

Pablo Pino, the Product Manager at Tattersall Maquinarias S.L., confirmed the importance of localization and providing locally available support and service: “Aftersales service of the equipment is really important. The key is to be able to solve any technical issues quickly.” Pino also highlighted the importance of the logistics industry for the region. Port facilities are a big business both in Chile and throughout Latin America. Switching their industrial equipment to lithium batteries is going to bring a tangible environmental benefit.

Starting its journey in Chile in July 2019, OneCharge partnered with Tattersall to equip five Hyster lift trucks with lithium batteries for one of the main Construction Materials companies in the country. As the customer pushed for sustainability, the switch to lithium batteries enabled the business to significantly slash its CO2 emissions.

Multinational giants like Cargill, The Clorox Company, and BAT are championing the shift to lithium batteries in LATAM, mirroring their best global practices (reducing emissions and maintenance costs, getting rid of charging areas). As these corporations operate mixed fleets of forklifts designed for both European and US markets, accommodating varied connectors, battery compartment sizes, and unique engineering designs is of paramount importance. OneCharge’s adaptability in meeting these diverse requirements has been a cornerstone of its success.

Recognizing the lengthy sales cycles in the region, OneCharge has invested in a strategic long-term vision for LATAM. In a significant move, the company set up a local assembly plant in Brazil. By shipping electronics from the US and assembling the batteries locally, OneCharge not only complies with tax norms but also boosts its brand’s recognition locally.

Furthermore, in response to the unique Brazilian market expectation that forklifts come with batteries already installed, OneCharge has collaborated with industry leaders Kion and Hyster-Yale Group, ensuring market demands are met seamlessly.

Results, Return on Investment, and Future Outlook

OneCharge’s focus on LATAM is evident in its expanding footprint. Today, its industrial batteries are available in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Mexico. The local assembly plant in Brazil stands as a testament to our commitment to the region. The company is perfectly positioned to support LATAM businesses in achieving their environmental goals, all while enhancing efficiency, cutting the total cost of ownership, and elevating performance.

This article, from Onecharge, covers multiple-CAN communication protocols of battery management systems (BMS) with the host vehicle, the charger, other externally connected devices, and battery components.

With the switch to lithium batteries, the efficiency and safety of materials-handling equipment and other off-highway and industrial electric vehicles are improving. But to fully realize the potential of new lithium technology, there must be constant, reliable communication between the power source and the vehicle, the truck, the charger, and other system components. Improvements in battery management and communication protocols are the front line of innovation and product improvements in industrial batteries.

CAN stands for controller area network. From automotive to industrial control industries, this communication protocol is common and widely used.

CANs are used in forklift battery management systems. These networks allow the various electronic components of a forklift to communicate with the battery and relay information. Forklift battery CAN integration guarantees that the battery and the host truck or charger are working as one system and exchange all necessary data.

A BMS monitors the state of the battery on the cell and pack levels, controls power output, and optimizes the performance of individual cells. CANs connect the BMS to all the battery sensors and to the forklift controls and indicators. One of the main benefits of using a CAN in a BMS for forklifts is that it allows for real-time communication between the various components of the truck/battery/charger system. This is important for ensuring that the forklift is operating safely and efficiently. For example, the BMS can monitor the state of charge of the battery and send this information to the forklift controller, which can then adjust the power output of the forklift to ensure that it is running at optimal performance.

Other important data that a truck receives from a CAN-integrated battery include its temperature and voltage both at a cell and a pack level. BMSs can use information from the battery sensors to adjust the charging rate of the battery or to provide alerts to the driver if the battery is approaching a low state of charge.

CANs help improve the reliability of the battery system by adding protection from noise and errors. This means better syncing of the cells, longer cycle life, and, as a result, lower downtime and a reduced possibility of system failure. Where productivity matters, dependable BMSs with CAN communication can make a big difference.
CAN insulation is used in materials handling applications for advanced data protection in often adverse environments: lots of electronic equipment, vibration, powerful electric motors with their own electromagnetic interference, etc.

BMSs may use CANs to connect to a power management block; indicators; current, and other sensors; start/stop systems; built-in chargers; battery cooling and heating systems; battery pack controls; and discharge ports for other gadgets.

A BMS is not required to have a CAN integration and communication protocol with a truck or a charger, and some don’t have any. Some batteries have just one CAN to connect with the truck. Others have two parallel CAN connections: one to the fork truck and the other to the charger. It is possible to use two or more CANs in a battery management system to work with a forklift and charger. In such a system, each CAN would typically serve a different purpose and communicate with a different set of components.

Advanced forklift batteries may feature multiple CAN connections as part of their BMS. For example, OneCharge developed a multi-CAN BMS that connects the battery, the truck, the charger, and all the internal elements and components of the battery pack itself. Other connections are reserved for outside equipment, like an outside battery discharge indicator (BDI). CAN integration capabilities are very important to fully realize the potential of the technology and increase equipment utilization.

Multiple CANs can also be used to prevent interference. For example, the charger and forklift can be on separate CAN networks to reduce interference from other components. Two or more CAN networks can communicate with each other within a BMS using a CAN gateway. The CAN gateway works like a bridge between two or more distinct CANs.

CAN networks translate messages from one CAN to another in a compatible format, using rules created by the system designer; this is known as a CAN interface. With the help of multiple CAN networks and a CAN gateway to manage communication between applicable networks, various components can share information, and coordinate actions. This improves the performance and dependability of the system as well.

An advanced BMS provides improved safety, reliability, and longer battery life through constant optimization of the performance of individual cells and the battery pack. What features should you consider when finding the right BMS? The following factors are key. Monitoring and control capabilities. A good BMS is always equipped with these capabilities, whether it’s the ability to adjust charging rate or discharging rate, or monitoring temperature, charge, and voltage of batteries.

Charger parameters and settings: battery compatibility, voltage, energy throughput, charging rate, and the like. Consider the BMS’s feature set, performance, reliability, and other relevant factors in assessing the cost to value trade-off. Wi-Fi and cellular options for connection to the central router and cloud database, remote troubleshooting and diagnostics, and data presentation in a user interface are all important parts of the product.

The electronics of battery management systems—a battery’s electronic “brain”— are developing rapidly, far more so than improvements in battery cells and chemistry. CAN connections between the BMS, the elements of the battery system, and external devices play the most significant role in the product development of forklift batteries.

Tag: Onecharge

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