How to Choose an Electric Tugger by Load Capacity
Choose an electric tugger by one number you can measure on your own floor, the loaded weight of the heaviest train it will pull. Weigh it, then pick the model that tows more than that weight on a flat floor with room to spare. The Pony Express line tows from 1,500 lb up to 25,000 lb on casters, and the heavy duty tuggers start at 5,000 lb.
What the rating means
A tugger rating is a towing rating on a flat, hard floor. It is the total rolling weight the tugger can pull, cart and load together. It is not a lift rating, because a tugger never lifts. It hitches to a cart that already rolls and pulls it.
It is not a ramp rating either. A slope lowers what any tugger can pull. If your route has a ramp, size above your flat floor weight and send us the slope so we can confirm the model.
How to weigh your load
- Weigh the heaviest cart fully loaded, not the average one
- Add the weight of the empty cart if your scale reading did not include it
- For a train, add every cart and everything on it
- Note the steepest ramp and the floor surface on the route
A train of three loaded carts is one combined weight. Count every cart.
Real pull also depends on your casters and your floor surface. Tell us what your carts weigh and what they roll on, and we confirm the model.
The capacity steps
| Model | Tows on casters | Width | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pony Express 1061 | 1,500 lb | 22 in | 35 Ah AGM |
| Pony Express 1061 Lithium | 1,500 lb | 22 in | 40 Ah lithium iron phosphate |
| Pony Express 1061-HD | 2,000 lb | 22 in | 35 Ah AGM |
| Pony Express 1061-HD Lithium | 2,000 lb | 22 in | 40 Ah lithium iron phosphate |
| Pony Express 1062 | 2,000 lb | 24 in | 35 Ah AGM |
| Pony Express 1065 | 5,000 lb | 24 in | 70 Ah AGM |
| Pony Express 1065 Lithium | 5,000 lb | 24 in | 24 VDC, 40 Ah lithium iron phosphate |
| Pony Express 1065-XHD | 7,500 lb | 24 in | 70 Ah AGM |
| Pony Express AC Tugger 25K+ | 25,000 lb | 30 in | 48 VDC, 100 Ah AGM or 120 Ah lithium iron phosphate |
Two things hold across the table. Top speed is 3 mph on every model, because the operator walks with the load. And width barely moves as capacity climbs. Only the AC Tugger 25K+ is wider, at 30 inches.
1,500 and 2,000 lb
The compact steps suit linen, meal and supply carts in buildings with tight halls and elevators. The 1061 and 1061 Lithium tow 1,500 lb. The 1061-HD, 1061-HD Lithium and 1062 tow 2,000 lb.
Inside this step, the choice is body and battery, not load. The 1061 and 1061-HD are 22 inches wide, and their length adjusts from 22 to 42 inches. The 1062 has a fixed body 25 inches long and 24 inches wide. The lithium models swap packs in seconds for back to back shifts.
For laundries, the 1062-LS tows 2,000 lb of linen carts and bulk bins and has two speed modes, 1.5 and 3 mph.
5,000 lb
The 1065 tows 5,000 lb in the same 25 by 24 inch body as the 1062. It runs on a 70 Ah AGM battery. It suits warehouses and plant floors that move heavier carts and bin trains.
The 1065 Lithium tows the same 5,000 lb on casters and up to 20,000 lb on rails, and recharges in about 90 minutes. The 1065-LS is the 5,000 lb laundry model, with non-marking tires and pintle and ball hitches.
If your heaviest train already sits close to 5,000 lb, step up to the next model so the tugger keeps some margin.
7,500 lb
The 1065-XHD tows 7,500 lb, the most of any 24 volt Pony Express. It keeps the same 25 by 24 inch body, so the extra capacity costs no aisle space. It suits heavy parts carts and material trains in plants.
25,000 lb
Past 7,500 lb the line moves to the AC Tugger 25K+. It runs a 48 volt AC transaxle and tows 25,000 lb on casters and up to 100,000 lb on rails. Its body is 52 by 30 inches, so check your aisles and doors before you choose it. A jog button inches it into the hitch so one operator can couple a heavy cart.
Other tugs
The CartCaddy tugs push and pull carts, and they cover ratings outside the Pony Express steps.
- The CartCaddyLite moves carts up to 1,000 lb
- The CartCaddyShorty moves carts up to 3,000 lb in tight aisles
- The CartCaddy4SC moves carts on four swivel casters up to 20,000 lb
- The RiderCaddy is a ride-on tug that pulls up to 10,000 lb
- The CartCaddyHD ChainDrive moves carts and equipment up to 50,000 lb
Size them the same way, by the full loaded weight and the route.
Whether that long route calls for the ride on model is walk-behind or ride-on electric tugger.
Ramps
The 1061, 1061-HD, 1062, 1065 and 1065-XHD are rated for inclines up to 30 degrees with a reduced load. For the lithium models the incline rating is set for your facility. Send us the grade of your ramps and the full weight and we confirm the model.
Every model has a holding brake that keeps a parked load from rolling on an incline.
Battery and capacity
The battery sets run time and recharge time, not towing capacity. The 1061-HD and 1061-HD Lithium tow the same 2,000 lb. The AGM model runs up to 8 hours and recharges in about 4 hours. The lithium pack swaps in seconds and recharges in about 2 hours. Set the capacity first, then pick the battery by how many shifts the tugger has to cover.
Questions
What size electric tugger do I need?
Weigh your heaviest loaded cart train on a flat floor, every cart and its load. Then pick the model that tows more than that total. Size up if the route has a ramp.
Is tugger capacity a lift rating or a tow rating?
It is a tow rating. A tugger pulls a cart that already rolls and never lifts the load, so you size against the rolling weight of the carts and everything on them.
Why are ratings given for a flat floor?
A flat, hard floor takes the least pull, so the rating is repeatable there. A ramp lowers what a tugger can pull. If your route has a grade, size above your flat floor weight and send us the slope.
What is the most an electric tugger can tow?
In the Pony Express line, the AC Tugger 25K+ tows 25,000 lb on casters and up to 100,000 lb on rails. The CartCaddyHD ChainDrive moves carts and equipment up to 50,000 lb.
Does a lithium battery change how much a tugger can pull?
No. Battery type changes run time and recharge time, not capacity. The 1061-HD and 1061-HD Lithium both tow 2,000 lb.