Snorkel unveils first lithium boom lift

The new Snorkel A46JRTE lithium-powered articulated rough terrain boom lift

MEWP manufacturer Snorkel has unveiled a new Lithium-powered rough terrain boom.

The new Snorkel A46JRTE is the company’s first lithium powered boom lift. Utilising the same lithium-ion battery pack solution as the other mobile elevating work platforms in the range, the A46JRTE offers zero emissions, without compromising on the reliability and four-wheel drive capabilities of the diesel equivalent.

It comes as standard with three 5.75 kW (111Ah) lithium-ion battery packs, which satisfies many applications, including heavy-use.

The automotive-quality lithium-ion battery packs are produced in the northeast of England and are individually equipped with the latest battery management systems (BMS).

Requiring zero maintenance, Snorkel said the battery packs have been tested in climatic chambers between -77°F (-25°C) and +140°F (+60°C), making them suitable for use in most environments.

Depending on usage, Snorkel lithium-powered mobile elevating work platforms are delivering extended duty cycles per charge, when compared to similar models.

Based on typical use in rough terrain under test conditions, a single charge can last for more than one week, and in light use on elevation jobs with minimal driving, this increases to more than two weeks on a single charge.

Simple to charge, the new A46JRTE boasts long duty cycles

Snorkel A46JRTE specs
Featuring a powerful AC electric motor, the Snorkel A46JRTE benefits from higher torque, which results in increased traction and improved rough terrain performance.

The electric motor also delivers 62% less jobsite noise and with no engine fan, dust generation is reduced for safer and cleaner operation in low emission zones and green cities.

With minimal battery and electrical system maintenance required, servicing costs are reduced by up to 93% when compared to a standard engine, while also eliminating the costs and risks of waste oil and filter disposal. Less servicing also reduces the load on service engineers, according to the firm.

The new model joins eight other lithium-powered Snorkel models which have been introduced since late 2019. These include the SL26RTE and SL30RTE electric Speed Levels.

The zero emission Snorkel A46JRTE has powerful 4-wheel drive

In addition, the S2255RTE, S2755RTE, S2770RTE, S3370RTE and S3970RTE electric rough terrain scissor lifts, as well as the electric SR5719E/SR626E compact rough terrain telehandler.

Matthew Elvin, CEO, Xtreme Manufacturing & Snorkel, said, “The launch of our first lithium-powered boom lift is an exciting next step in our development of zero emission alternatives to diesel.

“The compact and mid-size aerial lift and telehandler segment is a sweet spot for electrification, and our lithium-battery technology is proving to be a zero-compromise solution in this product category, delivering zero emissions, reduced noise and equivalent or better performance than the diesel.”