For logistics and warehousing teams operating in low-temperature winter environments or cold storage facilities, abnormal charging performance of lithium-powered forklifts is one of the most frequent issues affecting daily operational efficiency. Many operators do not realize that improper charging operations under extreme low temperature conditions may lead to irreversible battery damage, the most common of which is plating failure.

The plating failure of lithium battery for forklifts happens when the ambient temperature drops below the recommended charging temperature threshold specified by battery design. Under excessively low temperature, the activity of lithium ions drops significantly, and they can not smoothly embed into the negative graphite structure during charging process. These unembedded lithium ions will deposit on the surface of negative electrode to form metallic lithium plating layer, which will not only reduce the available capacity of the battery, shorten the overall cycle service life, but also may damage the internal separator structure in severe cases, bringing hidden risks to the normal use of equipment.

To effectively avoid plating failure caused by improper cold-weather charging, operators can follow three basic and easy-to-implement operation specifications. First, do not start fast charging immediately after the forklift completes long-hour heavy load operation in low temperature environment. It is recommended to move the forklift to a relatively warm indoor area for 30 to 60 minutes of preheating, and confirm that the battery surface temperature rises to above 5℃ before starting the formal charging process. Second, match the supporting charging facilities with constant temperature preheating function, the built-in battery management system will automatically adjust the internal temperature of the battery pack during charging, to ensure that lithium ions complete the normal embedding process stably. Third, for lithium forklifts that are in idle state for more than 7 days in winter, do not keep the battery in low power state for a long time, it is recommended to charge the battery to 40% to 60% state of charge and place it in a dry and constant temperature storage area.

As Jianshu New Energy, we focus on BYD electric forklift products and supporting operation and maintenance services. Our professional technical team can provide targeted low temperature operation guidance for different operation scenarios. If you have relevant demands or questions, please send an email to [email protected] for further consultation.