We are Colibri Energy – the most innovative manufacturer of Lithium-polymer-battery-systems for GSE and material handling. Engineered and manufactured in Berlin, and with a strong track record since 2013, Colibri lithium batteries are operated at over 20 major airports around the world, at industry-leaders such as Fraport, TCR and Qatar Airways. Providing solutions to overcome individual needs in the GSE- and material handling. Our product quality and reliability, ensures maximum availability and asset security.
In the following, we would like to explain to you how customers have managed to reduce GSE costs by up to 50% through the successful integration of Colibri lithium batteries.
- Asset security and reliability underlined by our unmatched 8+ year track record.
- Added efficiency through Colibri’s intelligent battery platform.
- Higher availability, enabling more efficient fleets.
- Reduce energy consumption and eliminate maintenance costs.
Colibri launched the 1st generation lithium battery in 2014, with 275Ah. In a display on quality and reliability, the 275Ah battery successfully reached over 14.000 operating hours. In 2016, we launched our 2nd generation featuring improved cell- and battery technology, significantly increasing reliability and product lifetime. Our “Power Traction 80V” and the “Power Traction 48V” are available with 275Ah, 400Ah, and 800Ah for various applications, including: BTUs, Belt-Loaders, High-Loaders, Push-Backs and Forklifts. Thanks to Colibri’s modular design, batteries can be adjusted in size to fit optimally in equipment, and can also be used as drop-in replacement of lead-acid batteries.
Colibri’s innovation is underlined by real life track-record in the toughest environments. Colibri lithium batteries and Colibri Chargers are operated in the extreme climates of Qatar and Saudi-Arabia, as well as Alberta in Canada. Since 2014, Colibri products are operated in temperatures from -30°C to +50°C and 24/7 operations.
Colibri’s 5+ year full-warranty, ensures asset protection. Service is easy, and can be conducted by trained personnel locally, minimizing down-times. Colibri’s regional service teams provide additional support, guaranteeing battery availability.
All Colibri lithium batteries are equipped with telematics, feeding data into our intelligent battery platform. With the aid of telematics and our Smart Flex battery platform, your fleet is tracked and processed. This allows customers to maximize asset utilization and optimize fleet performance through five main components
- Through the “Live GPS Alerts”, operators and dispatchers have a live overview to manage fleets and react to alerts quickly. This maximizes vehicle availability and prevents avoidable downtimes.
- With our “Performance Optimisation”, fleet performance is constantly tracked and processed in the “dashboard”. You therefore gain a reliable overview to effectively manage your fleets. Again, using data to create the most efficient use of your fleet will result in much more profitable management.
- To contribute to a greener world while providing excellent service, we created a unique “Service Asset- and 2nd Life management”. On one hand, collected data supports service teams to troubleshoot efficiently, since the platform is linked to Colibris Service Tool we can provide immediate assistance to customers to reduce service time. On the other hand, we also provide State of Health assessments, for effective 2nd Life reallocations.
- Closely track and process energy consumption with our “CSR Compliance, Energy Consumption & CO2 Saver“ to provide accurate energy costs and CO2 reports for your management teams, making energy-evaluations much easier and less time-consuming.
- Lastly, our “Reporting” tool processes all data generated and configures it into accurate reports to analyze and improve performance and cost structures.
Thanks to opportunity-fast-charging and optimal fleet management powered by Colibri’s intelligent battery platform, Colibri lithium batteries maximize GSE availability, reducing fleet sizes (>25%) and overall equipment costs. Customers operating over 3000 hours p.a. successfully power their fleet with one Colibri lithium battery per equipment.
Compared to lead-acid batteries, energy costs and maintenance costs are also significantly reduced.
A recent test compared a Colibri lithium battery to a lead-acid battery. When calculating with a three-shift operation, lead-acid batteries create maintenance-costs up to 1.000€ per year. Colibri Colibri lithium batteries are maintenance free and secured by a 5+ year warranty. Lead-acid batteries regularly water fills, washes and bi-annual maintenance checks. In addition, lead-acid batteries generate a constant risk of acid-spills and gassing. Colibri-Lithium Batteries however do not and therefore create a much safer environment for staff. Simultaneously, we were also able to increase productivity and flexibility resulting in even more cost-efficient operations.
Colibri lithium Batteries have a 98% charge efficiency on cell level, compared to 75 to 85% with lead-acid batteries. Due to the high internal resistance of lead-acid batteries, energy is lost as heat.
In tests conducted earlier this year, a forklift powered by a Colibri-Lithium Battery saved 65kWh in just five days compared to a lead-acid battery. When anticipating roughly 270 days of service per year, one forklift would save up to 3.510 kWh per year. With an average price of 16,54 cents per kWh (based on the average price for industry electricity in 2020 in Germany) we are looking at actual cost savings of 580,56€ per forklift per year, and this is just the energy-consumption.
In the beginning of the article, our goal was to explain how our customers were able to reduce costs by up to 50%. To conclude, it really consists of two implications: Efficiency and Consistency. With our unique battery platform entailing 2nd life applications, optimized charging and zero maintenance, efficiency is guaranteed. This gives customers all the tools they need to erase any waste of resources, and reduce their total GSE costs. It is when combining this with consistent application that the unmatchable cost reductions (50%) are realized.