Hyundai Completes Heavy Forklift Range With 16-Tonne Electric Model
The expanded B-X lineup includes 100B-X, 120B-X, 130B-X LC60, 160B-X, and 180B-X models with advanced safety systems.
Hyundai has completed its battery-electric forklift lineup with the release of the 16-tonne 160B-X and 18-tonne 180B-X, alongside the 100B-X, 120B-X, and 130B-X LC60 models, offering high-voltage electric counterbalance options in 4-to-18 tonne capacities.
What Happened
The launch of the 160B-X and 180B-X, which are currently shipping to customers, follows the initial 2025 release of the B-X line’s 4-to-9 tonne models. The new additions, including the 100B-X, 120B-X, and 130B-X LC60, extend electric forklift availability into applications traditionally reserved for diesel-powered trucks. The 160B-X features a 618V high-voltage lithium-ion battery system that delivers more than 7 hours of continuous operation on a single charge. The source notes the battery likely acts as part of the truck’s counterweight, a key engineering detail for heavy EVs. The trucks also feature rapid charging capabilities, indicating their intended use as heavy-duty workhorses.
Safety and Technology
To address the risks of moving 16 tons around a jobsite, Hyundai has equipped the B-X series with intelligent safety technologies. These include camera-based pedestrian detection, delicate load sensing, Blue Spot and Red Zone lighting, autonomous parking, and operator-presence protection. The operator-presence system shuts down travel and mast functions whenever the driver leaves the seat.
Why It Matters
By offering electric options in higher tonnage classes, Hyundai aims to address sectors where diesel forklifts have traditionally dominated, such as ports, shipbuilding, timber processing, metal production, construction materials, manufacturing, and logistics operations. Raymond Galavazi, Senior Product Manager at Hyundai Material Handling, stated that electrification is no longer limited to lower-capacity segments, allowing customers in demanding outdoor and intensive operation environments to consider high-voltage electric trucks from 4 to 18 tonnes. The units are designed to withstand year-round outdoor conditions, including rain, cold temperatures, and dust.
The Bottom Line
Hyundai’s completion of the B-X range with the 100B-X, 120B-X, 130B-X LC60, 160B-X, and 180B-X signals a strategic push to replace diesel equipment in heavy industrial applications, leveraging high-voltage battery technology and advanced safety systems to meet the operational demands of ports and large-scale logistics.
