Hubtex Maschinenbau has introduced a "Lithium-Capacitor" hybrid powertrain for its Aisle Master 25e series Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) articulated forklifts. In automated cold storage warehouses, traditional lithium-ion batteries suffer from "voltage sag" when subjected to high-current demands, such as simultaneously accelerating and lifting a heavy load at -25°C. This voltage drop forces the controller to limit the motor power, slowing down operations.
The new system pairs a high-capacity LiFePO4 battery with "Dual-Layer Supercapacitors" mounted directly on the drive axle. The engineering innovation is the "Peak Load Decoupling." During normal driving, the lithium battery powers the traction and hydraulics. However, when the operator commands a high-load lift, the "Bidirectional DC-DC Converter" instantly routes the power demand to the supercapacitors.
Supercapacitors have a significantly lower internal resistance than lithium cells, meaning they can discharge massive bursts of current (up to 300A) in milliseconds without any voltage drop, even at -30°C. Crucially, the system features "Asymmetric Regeneration." During lowering or braking, the system prioritizes dumping the recovered energy into the supercapacitors first. Once the capacitors are full, the energy is routed to the lithium battery. This protects the lithium cells from the thermal stress of high-current charging, extending the battery service life by 30% and maintaining maximum truck performance even in the coldest environments.
