Jungheinrich is testing sodium-ion battery technology in real-world material handling applications as part of its ongoing effort to develop sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions for industrial trucks.
Jungheinrich has launched field trials of sodium-ion batteries at selected customer sites, marking another step in the company’s exploration of alternative energy storage technologies for material handling equipment.
The Hamburg-based manufacturer said the trials are designed to evaluate the performance, reliability, and operational suitability of sodium-ion batteries under actual working conditions. The initiative reflects Jungheinrich’s broader strategy of investing in emerging technologies that could help customers improve sustainability while managing operating costs.
Sodium-ion batteries are increasingly attracting attention as a potential alternative to lithium-ion technology. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which rely on materials that can face supply chain constraints and geopolitical challenges, sodium-ion batteries use sodium, a widely available raw material.
“We are working intensively on new battery technologies so that we can continue to offer our customers high-performance, sustainable and cost-effective solutions in the future,” said Martin von Werder, Head of Technology Development at Jungheinrich.
According to the company, prototype sodium-ion battery systems have already been developed and tested in forklift applications. The current phase expands testing into customer operations, where the batteries will be evaluated across a variety of duty cycles and operating environments.
The company said the objective is to gather data that will help determine the technology’s suitability for future commercial deployment.
Advantages of Sodium-Ion Batteries
Potential advantages of sodium-ion batteries include broader raw material availability, reduced dependence on critical minerals, improved sustainability characteristics, and potentially lower manufacturing costs. Jungheinrich noted that sodium-ion technology may also offer benefits related to recyclability and resource-efficient production.
The field trials build on ongoing research and development efforts conducted in collaboration with battery cell manufacturers and research organizations. Jungheinrich said laboratory and pilot testing has already generated valuable information regarding battery performance, service life, and safety.
While lithium-ion technology continues to dominate electric forklift applications, equipment manufacturers across multiple industries are exploring sodium-ion chemistry as a possible complement for applications where cost, sustainability, and supply chain resilience are key considerations.
By moving the technology into customer environments, Jungheinrich hopes to gain a clearer understanding of how sodium-ion batteries perform in everyday material handling operations and to accelerate the potential commercialization of the technology. While still in the early stages of commercialization compared to lithium-ion systems, sodium-ion batteries are increasingly being evaluated for applications where cost, sustainability, and raw material availability are important considerations.
The company said its long-term goal is to bring the benefits of emerging battery technologies to customers as quickly as possible while supporting more sustainable and future-ready logistics operations.
