Linde adds intelligent safety to EX electric forklifts
Linde Material Handling has upgraded its explosion-protected electric forklift portfolio with the new E14–E20 EX and E16–E20 P EX ranges. The three- and four-wheel counterbalanced trucks are certified for ATEX zones 1/21 and 2/22, where flammable gases, vapours or dust can create an explosive atmosphere.
The portfolio comprises 14 configurations, with different chassis dimensions and lifting capacities up to two tonnes. The three-wheel models target compact production and warehouse environments, while the four-wheel versions are designed to combine manoeuvrability with stability on less even floors. This flexibility is increasingly relevant for battery, electric motor, semiconductor and electronic-waste recycling operations.
Safety systems move beyond passive protection
Rather than treating explosion protection as an isolated conversion, Linde has carried the assistance functions of its standard trucks into the EX versions. The vehicles can be ordered with a Reverse Assist Camera or Reverse Assist Radar. The camera uses AI to distinguish people from other objects and supports graduated braking, accompanied by an audible warning. The radar calculates an appropriate response using factors including speed, fork load, steering angle and the distance to an obstacle, and can reduce speed or stop the truck.
The Linde MH Safety Guard system adds zone-based control. In a defined ATEX area, it can automatically limit travel speed. In zone 2/22, it can also provide visual and audible warnings when forklifts approach one another at intersections. VertiLights, LED strips and projected red warning lines offer further ways to make trucks more visible in narrow or poorly lit workspaces.
Engineering for hazardous environments
For the more demanding zone 1/21 classification, the trucks use motors with specially designed windings and higher insulation classes. Temperature sensors are integrated into the windings so heat is measured where it is produced. This allows operators to maintain the required temperature limits without giving up the performance expected from a conventional electric forklift.
Explosion-proof housings for electronic components are integrated without extending into the operator’s normal field of view or legroom. The package also includes an integrated heated cabin option, with an eight-nozzle blower system for the windscreen, interior and footwell, plus preheating before the driver enters. For companies building new hazardous production capacity, the combination of certified protection, digital assistance and operator comfort can support safer material flow without sacrificing everyday usability.
