Working principle
Lithium-ion forklift batteries are composed of the following: a cathode, electrolyte (lithium), anode, separator, and 2 current collectors (positive and negative). To generate electric energy, different chemicals occur in lithium-ion batteries, with the most popular one for forklifts being lithium iron phosphate.
The anode and cathode store the lithium. When a lithium-ion battery is discharging, the electrolyte moves from the anode to the cathode through the separator carrying positively charged lithium-ions from the anode to the cathode. When the battery is charging, the electrolyte liquid moves from the cathode to the anode through the separator, carrying negatively charged lithium-ions.
Lithium-ion batteries are easily charged through opportunity charging because they’re fast charging. This charging uses a specialized charger with a high current to charge the battery quickly.