Big Joe CMO: Electric Forklifts Are EV's Quiet Win

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- Martin Boyd, Big Joe's CMO, joined the Electrek Quick Charge podcast to argue that electric forklifts rank among the EV industry's biggest success stories despite rarely making headlines.
- Electric forklifts run quieter and smoother than combustion models and produce zero tailpipe emissions, making them suited to warehouses, factories, and other indoor spaces where diesel or propane exhaust isn't an option.
- Big Joe specializes in both electric forklifts and trainable, autonomous material handling solutions that the company says deliver lower costs, more efficient operations, and increased safety.
- Related Electrek coverage referenced in the episode notes includes Komatsu's sodium-ion battery pilot program and new electric forklifts from Kalmar (li-ion Super Heavy) and AUSA (rough terrain construction EV).
Why it matters: The pitch rests on a concrete operational advantage the source names outright: indoor air-quality constraints where combustion equipment simply can't operate. For warehouse and factory operators, Big Joe's autonomous, zero-emission forklifts offer a defensible ROI case built on the stated promises of lower costs and improved safety — a wedge for electrification that doesn't depend on consumer buying trends.




