The overall purpose and ambition of HyLIFT-DEMO is to conduct a large scale demonstration of hydrogen powered fuel cell materials handling vehicles, which enables a following deployment and market introduction starting no later than 2015.

The HyLIFT-DEMO project objectives are:

• to conduct the demonstration of at least 11 units of fuel cell forklifts and fuel cell tow tractors with an integrated 3rd generation fuel cell system,
• to conduct the demonstration of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at end-user sites throughout Europe where the fuel cell material handling vehicles are to be demonstrated,
• to conduct accelerated laboratory durability tests on fuel cell systems to validate life time and sensitivity to vibration exposure, reaching 4,000 hours in laboratory,
• to validate value proposition & reaching of commercial and environmental targets by conducting data acquisition from the demonstration operation and validating reaching of performance targets on durability, efficiency and costs for 3rd generation technology,
• to plan and secure initiation of R&D of 4th generation commercial products by ensuring that R&D of 4th generation fuel cell and hydrogen refuelling technology is initiated onwards reaching full commercial targets,
• to plan and ensure initiation of a commercial market deployment by end of 2015 of hydrogen powered fuel cell forklifts and develop suggestions for deployment support mechanisms,
• to secure RCS for enabling commercialisation by identifying future Regulation, Codes & Standard needs in order to enable commercial high volume certification & use of hydrogen powered fuel cell material handling vehicles and
• to disseminate project results throughout Europe to the hydrogen and fuel cell industry as well as the material handling industry, motivating national and regional actors to also initiate development and commercialisation activities within the area.