Manitou Group shows electrified retrofit telehandler

Team leaders involved with the electrified telehandler project (Phoito: Manitou Group)

Material handling and earth-moving machine specialists Manitou Group, in cooperation with machine rental company Kiloutou, have unveiled what the partners have called the first retrofit electric telehandler.

The culmination of a project which started in early 2023, the project involves replacing the diesel engine of the telehandler with a pure electric drivetrain. Performance of the newly-electrified model is said to be equivalent to the internal combustion version, while the electrification kit covers all relevant safety criteria.

The new powertrain is said to return a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the internal combustion version. The electrification kit is set to be offered through the Impakt program, which specializes in development and launch of environmentally-friendly powertrains.

Speaking about the new telehandler, Michel Denis, CEO of Manitou Group, said: “We are proud to present this first ‘retrofit’ telehandler. I would like to thank all the teams involved in this virtuous project. This close collaboration with rental customers like Kiloutou shows just how important it is to join forces to make quicker progress on sustainable solutions for the users of our machines. This development is fully in line with the objectives of our CSR roadmap, which aims to make the circular economy a priority.”

According to the related statement, 50 experts were involved in the development project. The electrified model has achieved a 25% reduction in its ‘environmental score’, a weighted average of 16 indicators related to climate, health and other key areas.

The electrified telehandler is expected to achieve a minimum working life of five years.

The two companies are now in the process of concluding a usage partnership with a construction company. This will see the machine tested over a 12-month period on worksites to prove out range, charging methods and other criteria in real-life operation, together with receiving related customer feedback.