bauma: new Genie® lithium battery

Tailored for rental applications, performs in cold weather and right-sized for optimum green performance

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Soon available as an option on selected Genie® GS™ slab scissor lifts, Genie will be showcasing lithium ion batteries for the first time in Europe on the Genie GS-1932 scissor lift at bauma in Munich on Terex booth n° FM 711. Specifically tailored for work on construction sites, this new battery option is suitable for cold weather performance and charging, maintains the runtime per charge that operators rely on to get the job done to maximize rental return on invested capital (rROIC).

“This new lithium ion battery technology is an important step for the European market where rental companies are conscious of the need to offer environment-friendly solutions to remain competitive. For fleet owners, Genie slab scissor lifts equipped with our new lithium battery packs combine the advantages of significantly reducing total cost of ownership and offering enhanced emissions-free jobsite performance,” says Zach Gilmor, Genie Product Manager, Terex AWP, EMEAR.

He continues: “By comparison to lead-acid batteries, in addition to requiring minimal maintenance, Genie lithium ion battery packs last up to four times longer, only needing to be replaced every seven or more years, which is equivalent to a typical machine’s initial rental life time. Saving time and costs, this extended battery lifecycle also reduces waste. On the jobsite, operators will find that our machines that are equipped with this option are better suited to tougher applications where increased performance and zero-emissions and low noise operation are paramount. Charging time to 100 percent capacity is also reduced by 33 percent.”

“Electric scissors of today are typically powered by lead-acid batteries, which are comprised of a number of lead plates in a bath of acid,” says Mike Flanagan, Genie Product Manager, Terex AWP, in Redmond, USA, “The new Genie lithium ion battery option is made up of a Lithium Iron Phosphate mixture (commonly referred to as LFP), a proven battery chemistry well suited for the performance required in demanding rental applications and jobsite environments. To further enhance performance of the new Genie lithium ion battery, we have incorporated battery heaters into the design of this new option to enable the battery to provide reliable, consistent operation in temperatures down to -20° F (-29° C).”

According to Flanagan, these construction-ready lithium ion batteries from Genie offer many advantages in rental scenarios. For example, these rechargeable batteries use the transfer of lithium ions to provide power and charge, as well as offering a number of performance benefits over lead-acid batteries, such as:

• Fast and efficient charging to 100% capacity

• Eco-friendly, lead-free design    

• Long life eliminates the need for battery replacement

• Minimal maintenance requirements

• Superior cold weather performance

• Maintains charge when not in use

“Healthy batteries are critical for proper machine performance,” says Flanagan. “With lead-acid batteries, opportunity charging, lack of watering batteries (refilling with electrolytes) and mismatched charging cycle (or charger) can reduce battery life. With Genie lithium ion batteries, battery maintenance and watering is eliminated — saving time and money. Genie lithium ion batteries are designed to perform throughout the machine’s first rental life.”

The new Genie lithium ion battery option is compatible with the Delta-Q charger for Genie Lift Connect™ telematics and Genie Tech Pro™ Link device connectivity.

Developed in direct response to rental business needs, the Genie Lift Connect telematics solution is focused on actionable information, flexibility and transparency. This technology has evolved to help customers understand the information their rental machines are providing, enabling them to leverage machine data to more efficiently manage their business.

With the new Genie Tech Pro Link diagnostics tool, everything a technician needs to know about a Genie GS slab scissor lift is right in the palm of the person’s hand. It allows technicians to monitor machine’s gauges, including battery voltage, calibrate the machine, make speed adjustments during the pre-operation inspection, get service alerts and reminders, track maintenance intervals, receive fault code information and so much more.