Aug 28 | 2021
Toyota Forklift Engines Fail US Emissions Test
Eastern Lift Truck Co. said it is stepping in to help customers who have been impacted by the shutdown of Toyota Materials Handling’s production of its internal combustion engine, or ICE, forklifts.
Toyota recently disclosed that it failed to obtain a 2021 U.S. engine emission certification. According to Eastern Lift, Toyota forklifts order in 2020 were never shipped, and Toyota didn’t address the issue publicly until the second quarter of 2021.
“Since the announcement, we have learned that thousands and thousands of new Toyota forklifts cannot and will not be shipped,” Eastern Lift Truck said in a blog on the company’s website. “Also, at the time of this post, there is no clear answer as to if and when the compliance issue will be resolved.”
Eastern Lift Truck, which celebrates 50 years of business this year, said it “understands the challenges caused by Toyota’s failure.” The material handling equipment supplier is one of the country’s largest dealers of Hyster-Yale Group EPA-compliant ICE forklifts.
While Toyota has been reportedly trying to shift customers from ICE to electric forklifts to retain customers, Eastern Lift Truck said it’s not a decision to take lightly.
“Eastern Lift Truck Co. fully supports green initiatives and the general move towards electric vehicles. However we are committed to doing so in a responsible and informed manner. Rather than force electric on an ICE user, our sales team will perform a power analysis to confirm electric forklifts are a viable solution for the application. If it is, we offer multiple options including lead acid, lithium-ion and hydrogen fuel cells,” the company said in its blog.
