Combilift’s Combi-CB70E claims the title of shortest 7-tonne counterbalance truck on the market, pairing multidirectional travel and fully electric drive to move long, heavy loads through space-constrained yards and aisles
Floor space is the one resource a busy yard cannot manufacture more of. Every metre given over to turning circles and aisle clearance is a metre unavailable for storage, and for operations handling long, heavy loads the trade-off has traditionally been stark: the bigger the capacity, the larger the machine and the wider the space it needs to work in. Squaring that circle has become one of the defining challenges in heavy materials handling.
Offering a solution to that challenge is Combilift’s Combi- CB70E multidirectional counterbalance truck, which the company describes as the shortest 7-tonne machine of its type on the market. Launched in 2023 to coincide with Combilift’s 25th anniversary, the model extends the OEM’s electric portfolio while retaining the compact dimensions and sideways travel that define the Combi-CB family.
“The Combi-CB70E was driven by demand for higher-capacity multidirectional forklifts that can operate in space-constrained environments while handling increasingly heavy and bulky loads. Being electric also supports our customers’ sustainability goals, without compromising performance,” says Luis Monteiro, mechanical design engineer, Combilift.
Building on the CB platform
“Within the CB-series, it builds on the established strengths of the range, versatility, compact dimensions and multidirectional travel for long-load handling, but introduces significantly higher lifting capacity, a 3-tonne increase in capacity from the Combi-CBE4,” says Monteiro.
That step up in capacity is the headline change. The truck offers a 7,000kg lift capacity to a height of 4,000mm, yet measures just 3,880mm long and 2,200mm wide. The result, in Combilift’s framing, is a machine that allows operators to handle heavier and longer loads while improving space efficiency, without surrendering the manoeuvrability that customers expect from the range.
Enhanced design
The multidirectional principle is what separates the CB70E from a standard counterbalance truck. Combilift’s machines drive forwards and backwards like a conventional forklift, but at the flick of a switch the wheels turn through 90 degrees, allowing the truck to travel sideways.
“Compared with a conventional 7-tonne counterbalance forklift, the multidirectional Combi-CB70E allows operators to travel sideways while carrying long loads through narrow and confined spaces,” says Monteiro. “This enhances operational safety, as it eliminates the need for overhead carrying, reducing the risk of injury or collision.”
The operational consequence is a reduction in the aisle widths and turning circles a site must allow for, which in turn frees up floor area. For operators measuring themselves on storage density, that translates directly into capacity recovered from circulation space.
Going electric
The CB70E is offered solely as a battery-electric machine, unlike some other models in the Combilift range. “We are seeing an increased demand for more environmentally friendly and sustainable materials handling solutions,” says Moteiro. “The CB70E was developed to deliver heavy-duty performance while supporting the transition toward electrification. The CB70E features Combilift’s patented Independent Traction Control System, providing independent drive and traction management to all drive wheels.”
The speed of each wheel is programmed according to the steering angle, delivering constant traction across varying surfaces, improving stability during multidirectional travel and reducing load swing when long loads are carried sideways. The arrangement also removes the need for differential locks.
Energy efficiency is addressed through regenerative dynamic braking built into the independent electric drive. The system recovers energy during deceleration, improves power efficiency and reduces brake wear.
Designed for multi-shift uptime
“The roll-out battery system is designed to improve serviceability and battery access. For multi-shift operations, our roll-out systems also facilitate faster battery maintenance, inspection, and potential battery exchange procedures, helping maximise machine availability and reduce downtime,” says Monteiro.
“The CB70E features combilift’s patented independent traction control system, providing independent drive and traction management to all drive wheels”
Fleet oversight is handled through Combi- Connect, the company’s cloud-based telematics platform, which is compatible with the CB70E. The system provides fleet managers with real-time performance indicators, energy consumption and idle times, maintenance alerts, battery levels and remote updates, supporting proactive maintenance scheduling and reducing unplanned downtime.
Reducing operator strain
With multidirectional machines, the operator constantly switches between forward and sideways travel, creating a genuine source of fatigue over a shift. Combilift’s solution is an auto-swivel seat that rotates 15 degrees to the left or right with the selected direction of travel. “It was developed to reduce the amount of torso and neck twisting required during directional changes while maintaining optimal access to controls and visibility,” says Monteiro.
The cab itself draws on engineering more often seen on larger industrial machinery. The ergonomic Deluxe Cab uses gas-strut suspension to absorb the shocks and vibrations of rough lumber and steel yards and is paired with large super-elastic tyres for a smoother ride. Single-hand joystick controls round out a cab intended to keep operators comfortable and productive across a full working day.
Improved visibility and safety
“Safety is a huge priority. It is central to the Combi-CB70E’s design, as well as all of our current and future products,” says Monteiro. The elevated Deluxe Cab is fitted with floor-to-ceiling glazing for all-round visibility, and the counterweight has been positioned out of the operator’s line of sight to improve the view further.
The independent electric traction system, which carries a Red Dot Award for its product design, again plays a safety role. By providing full traction control across all front and rear drive wheels, it removes the need for a differential lock on slippery surfaces and gives precise control over acceleration and deceleration, helping to eliminate the load momentum twisting that can occur when a long load is carried sideways.
Where the CB70E fits
The target applications are industries that routinely handle long, bulky loads up to 7 tonnes. Combilift points to timber and lumber, woodworking and panels, steel and metal processing, precast concrete and manufacturing plants as natural homes for the machine, with large timber processors, building materials suppliers, steel stockholders and heavy industrial operations among the typical users.
A path for electrification
The CB70E is one expression of a wider electrification strategy. “We allocate approximately 7% of annual revenue to research and development, with 98% of that investment dedicated to the electrification of our product range. Today, electric models account for approximately 70% of our production,” says Monteiro – a figure that signals where the company believes heavy-duty materials handling is heading. It is a bet that the operational gap between diesel and electric at the top of the weight range will narrow with more zero-emission options available for even the most demanding applications.
This article first appeared in the July/August issue of iVT
