Autonomous fleets, higher voltage and lithium first power drive trends

Guest blog by MHI Member Inventus Power

What’s driving the future of the material handling sector?

Autonomous robots. Next-generation battery platforms. Greater power — with a sharper focus on safety and uptime.

As labor shortages persist and uptime becomes critical to meeting tight deadlines and tighter margins, manufacturers are rethinking how they move goods, power equipment and scale operations.

At ProMat, one thing was clear: the future hinges not just on automation, but on the energy systems that keep these innovations running. Several trends emerged that will define what’s next — and demonstrate why making lithium work has never mattered more.

The future is now: A rise in automation and robotics in materials handling

Automation continues to reshape manufacturing and logistics. As the industry faces persistent labor shortages, OEMs are increasing their investments in autonomous systems —ranging from AMRs to humanoid robots.

Key trends in this area include:

• A surge in AMRs and AGVs: Robots capable of 100+ picks or placements per hour day for two working shifts are now becoming more common in warehouses and manufacturing settings.
• Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS): Leasing is on the rise, with companies prioritizing uptime and performance over equipment ownership.
• Early humanoid adoption: Robotics companies like Agility Robotics are piloting humanoids in Amazon warehouses, moving lightweight materials (up to 35 lbs.) and performing functional tasks once thought impossible.

These sophisticated systems come with specific power needs.

Opportunity charging to improve Uptime

Keeping these innovative fleets moving requires rethinking how and when you charge what are essentially a version of electric vehicle batteries. This drives a transition away from traditional lead-acid power systems in favor of solutions that support opportunity charging — quick top-off charges lasting just 10 to 15 minutes.

Lead-acid batteries are ill-suited for opportunity charging because charging must wait for a full discharge, leading to longer downtimes and costly operational gaps.

Lithium-ion batteries used to power these electric vehicles, by contrast, can handle brief, frequent charges without any memory effect. This allows equipment to plug in and top off between tasks, maximizing uptime and operational efficiency.

Plug-and-play simplicity to reduce maintenance

Today’s equipment is moving toward plug-and-play, maintenance-free power sources.
Whether it’s robots, AMRs, or humanoids, the goal is the same:

• Eliminate coolant systems, watering routines and heavy maintenance.

• Reduce downtime and total cost of ownership.

• Increase operational reliability across the board.

High Voltage power systems for greater efficiency

As equipment becomes more autonomous and uptime expectations rise, the need for faster energy replenishment and greater system efficiency is pushing manufacturers to rethink their power architectures — starting with voltage. More is better, and here’s why.

In AGVs, an industry-wide transition from 24V/36V to 48V systems is under way. Along with that, forklifts are also moving to 80V platforms for improved energy distribution, reduced current demand and greater operational efficiency. Already on the horizon are glimmers of expanding capacity to as much as 350V-400V.

Along with greater system efficiency, the benefits of these higher voltage systems are many, including reduced cabling size and reduced copper costs. More significantly, these higher voltage power systems support heavier payloads, meaning a single robot can now move two or three loaded pallets at one time.

Lithium-ion batteries: Making the switch

Until recently, transitioning to lithium-ion battery systems in material handling equipment raised questions: Is now the right time? Do the benefits outweigh the costs?

Today, lithium-ion is becoming the standard for modern material handling equipment. Its advantages over lead-acid are clear:

• 30-40% greater energy efficiency which saves on electricity costs

• Opportunity charging for faster recharge time

• Maintenance-free operation (no watering or ventilation needed)

• Modularity — the ability to scale battery packs and energy based on asset utilization

Another key advantage of lithium-ion adoption is the ability to integrate seamlessly with IoT platforms for smarter fleet management. Asset tracking, battery health monitoring, and usage optimization are becoming essential tools as automation fleets expand — and lithium systems make real-time visibility possible.

Design and safety factors for lithium-ion systems

Lithium-ion batteries can operate safely and effectively with a robust Battery Management System (BMS). Properly designed systems help batteries resist damaging energy spikes, which is important when operating rough, suspension-free material handling environments.

• Resist damaging energy spikes — critical for rugged, suspension-free warehouse environments

• Maintain uptime even under heavy or continuous use

• Extend battery lifespan across a range of temperatures, including cold storage

Lithium-ion systems with integrated heaters are helping material handling equipment operate reliably in refrigerated warehouses and outdoor cold environments. OEMs increasingly demand battery designs that maintain performance across wide temperature swings, from subzero cold storage to high-heat outdoor yards.

 

 

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