The first serially-produced container transporter powered by Li-ion batteries was delivered to HHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG) Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA). The lithium-ion automated guided vehicle (AGV), weighing 26.5 tonnes, was brought by heavy transport on 1 August. Diesel-powered AGV at CTA will be replaced step-by-step.
A pilot project to test a lithium-ion AGV prototype coupled with an automatic electric charging station has been under way at CTA since autumn 2016. HHLA ordered 25 Konecranes Gottwald Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) with lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery drives for for CTA in the first quarter of 2017. From 1 August 2018, the serially-produced lithium-ion AGVs are being delivered to Hamburg weekly from the Konecranes yard in Düsseldorf.
Konecranes Gottwald automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are unmanned, software-controlled container transporters which provide an efficient link between the harbor quay and the stackyard in large container terminals.
They are initially replacing the first generation of diesel-powered vehicles at CTA, followed by the second-generation of diesel-electric AGVs and finally phasing out the lead-acid battery-powered vehicles. The entire switchover of almost 100 AGVs should be completed by the end of 2022.
As opposed to the lead-acid batteries powering AGVs used up to now at CTA, lithium-ion technology stands out due to, among other factors, its fast-charging capabilities. They can be fully charged in around an hour and a half, weigh only a third of a standard lead-acid battery and need no maintenance.
Aaron is an automotive journalist living in Wyoming, USA. His background includes technology, mechanics, commercial vehicles, and new vehicle evaluations. Aaron is a member of several automotive media groups and writes for many well-known publications.