French telehandler and aerial lift manufacturer Manitou has handed over the first example of its all electric retrofit telehandler to French rental company Kiloutou which has worked with the manufacturer to develop the concept.
The partnership between Manitou and Kiloutou was announced in February 2023 with the fruits of the agreement now being realised. The idea was to take used diesel telehandlers from the Kiloutou fleet and convert them to all electric powered models with the retrofit kit.
After studying the concept, developing a practical kit and testing it, the two companies now say that all the safety criteria have been met, and that the performance is equivalent to the original diesel model. The life expectancy for the retrofitted machines are at least five years.
The first Manitou electric retrofit is handed over to Kiloutou
The two companies are now in the process of concluding a usage partnership with a major contractor starting in September, with the plan to run the machines over the following 12 months on various job sites logging things such as range, charging methods and customer feedback in real life conditions.
(L-R) Adrien Dufloer and François Renault of Kiloutou with Michel Denis and Hervé Ouisse of Manitou
The companies said: “The retrofit is a transitional solution that is both sustainable and circular, with a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with an internal combustion machine. Once fitted with its electrification kit, the converted equipment will be integrated into the IMPAKT offer, dedicated to alternative, more environmentally friendly powertrains and available from Kiloutou branches in France.”
Manitou chief executive Michel Denis added: “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.”
Kiloutou director of equipment & sustainable development François Renault said: “At a time when electric is set to become the norm and gradually replace fossil fuels, we see retrofitting as an alternative to mass replacement. It is perfectly aligned with a comprehensive fleet upgrade programme, without the need to buy everything back. This project with Manitou pushes back the limits of the possible in terms of the circular economy and decarbonization. I'm delighted with this project, which enables our respective teams to share their know-how, and I'm particularly proud to see the expertise of Kiloutou’s Test Centre and Purchasing Department at work.”
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