A food distributor runs reach trucks that move between a freezer at about minus 25 degrees C and a loading dock. The operations team is moving to lithium and asks which temperature limits apply, where trucks should charge, and whether heated packs are needed.
Separate discharge from charge. Redway’s forklift pages list discharge from minus 20 to 60 degrees C and charging from 0 to 55 degrees C. A truck can work in a freezer within the discharge limit and its own time in the cold, but it should charge only when the pack is at 0 degrees C or above, normally in a warmer area. Below minus 20 degrees C, or for long freezer shifts, ask about heating and insulation options.
The limits
- Discharge: minus 20 to 60 degrees C on the product pages. A freezer at minus 25 degrees C is below this, so time in the freezer, pack insulation and heating matter.
- Charge: 0 to 55 degrees C. Charging a LiFePO4 pack below 0 degrees C can damage cells, so the BMS should block it.
Planning the duty
- Map the route. How long does each truck stay in the freezer, and how often does it return to the dock?
- Charge warm. Put chargers in the ambient area and let cold packs warm up before charging; the BMS temperature reading tells you when.
- Size for cold. Usable capacity is lower in the cold, so allow more margin than for an ambient warehouse.
- Ask about heating. Self-heating is listed as an option on Redway’s golf cart pages; for forklift packs, ask whether heating or insulation is available for your model.
Condensation
A cold pack moved into a warm, humid dock collects condensation. Redway lists IP65 for its forklift range, but repeated condensation can still affect connectors. Keep connectors covered, inspect them regularly, and avoid charging a pack that is wet. See Redway’s cold storage page and temperature and heating page.
Charger placement
Put chargers close to the freezer door, in the ambient zone, so that trucks charge as soon as packs are warm enough. Allow space for trucks to wait while packs warm up. If the BMS reports pack temperature, use it to tell operators when charging can start.
Risk limits
Do not override BMS temperature protection to charge a cold pack. Figures are from Redway product pages as of October 2026; confirm temperature ratings and heating options for your model with Redway before ordering. Redway’s forklift specification tables show 5 years, which is the design life of the pack; the after-sales technical support period is 3 years.
Additional perspectives
Log the time each truck spends inside the freezer for a week. Those numbers decide whether you need heated packs, more packs or a different shift pattern.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Cold-store operations manager perspective
Ask the supplier for the capacity available at your coldest temperature and how the BMS limits current when cold. A data-sheet capacity at 25 degrees C does not tell you that.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Battery engineer perspective
Add connector checks for moisture and corrosion to the weekly routine in cold stores. Condensation problems start small and are easy to catch early.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Maintenance lead perspective
Specifications are taken from Redway product pages as of October 2026. Where a figure isn’t published, this article says so. Confirm current specifications for your model with Redway before ordering. This article is general guidance, not a site-specific engineering assessment.
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