Vehicle Classes
Automated Guided Carts (AGC)
Simplest class. Floor-level transport only, no lifting.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload | ~1 ton (2,200 lbs) standard |
| Navigation | Magnetic tape (typical) |
| Engagement | Under-ride with pin hook |
| Unit cost | $16,000-$20,000 |
| Applications | Automotive, light industrial |
Tow / Tugger AGVs
Pull one or more carts in a train. High throughput for point-to-point runs.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload (tow capacity) | 1 ton standard; up to 20 tons (44,000 lbs) available |
| Train capacity | Multiple carts per mission |
| Hybrid option | Some models allow manual operation |
| Applications | Automotive assembly line supply, finished goods to warehouse |
Automated Pallet Jack / Low-Level Stacker
Floor-to-floor movement with limited lift.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload | Up to 3 tons (6,600 lbs) |
| Lift height | Max 2m |
| Applications | Production line feeding, warehouse horizontal transport |
Reach Truck AGV
Narrow-aisle lifting. Smaller and faster than VNA.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload | ~1,500 kg |
| Lift height | Up to 8m |
| Aisle width required | ~3m |
| Applications | Pallet storage in standard selective racking |
Counterbalanced Forklift AGV
Most versatile lifting class. Equivalent to a manned Class I/IV/V forklift.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload | Up to 4 tons (8,800 lbs) |
| Lift height | ~8m (26 ft) |
| Applications | Cross-dock, staging, rack loading |
Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) AGV
Highest-density storage. Requires wire or rail guidance in aisle.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Lift height | Up to 11m (36 ft) |
| Aisle width | <2m (6.5 ft) |
| Unit cost | $180,000-$200,000 |
| Floor requirement | F50 flatness (same as manned VNA) |
| Applications | High-density cold storage, pharmaceutical |
Unit Load AGV
Carries discrete loads (pallets, totes). Equipped with roller or chain conveyors for auto-transfer.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Payload | Up to 20 tons; heavy industrial custom systems exceed this |
| Transfer interface | Roll conveyors, chain conveyors, lift tables |
| Applications | Food and beverage, warehouse pallet lanes, production buffer |
Speed Reference
- Standard operating speed: up to 2 m/s (6.5 ft/s) for laser-guided vehicles
- Restricted/hazard zones: 1.2 m/s maximum with active scanner
- Bumper contact zones: 0.3 m/s maximum (safety requirement)
Selection Logic
| Condition | Vehicle Class |
|---|---|
| No lifting needed, simple routes | AGC |
| High-volume point-to-point with carts | Tugger |
| Floor-to-floor pallet movement | Pallet jack / stacker |
| Standard rack storage to 8m | Reach truck AGV |
| Heavy loads, dock/staging | Counterbalanced forklift AGV |
| Density-first, rack >8m | VNA AGV |
| High-volume pallet lanes, auto-transfer | Unit load AGV |
| Frozen or deep-freeze warehouse | Reach truck or counterbalanced AGV (freezer-rated spec required) — see AGV in Cold Storage and Freezer Environments |
Cost Benchmark
VNA AGVs are the highest-cost class at $180k-$200k per vehicle. AGCs are the entry point at $16k-$20k. Forklift and reach truck AGVs are not publicly benchmarked but typically fall between $60k-$150k depending on lift height and navigation type.
Worked Example: Jungheinrich VNA-AGV Trucks (2024 project)
Source-derived from vna-agv-site-readiness-specs-dematic-jungheinrich-2024. Two Jungheinrich trucks deployed as AGVs on the same project illustrate two opposite AGV paradigms:
| EKX 516 (VNA turret) | EKS 215a (order picker) | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Guided AGV, rail/wire-bound in a fixed VNA aisle | Free-navigating AGV, mixed pedestrian traffic |
| Load capacity | 1,600 kg | 1,500 kg / 3,300 lb |
| Max fork/lift height | 18,000 mm | 6,000 mm / 236 in |
| Overall width (b1) | 1,210 mm | (compact order picker) |
| Travel speed | 12 km/h | 5/7 mph laden/unladen |
| Power | 80 V / 930 Ah lead-acid (manual sheet); busbar in-aisle for AGV | 24 V lithium-ion, auto opportunity charging |
| Guidance | In-aisle guide rail / wire / inductive | Onboard 360-degree laser scanners, speed/steering-adaptive fields |
| Aisle width | Hard mechanical dimension (from racking/aisle-config spec; not on datasheet) | Dynamic, set by scanner protective-field size |
The takeaway for aisle sizing: “AGV aisle” is not one number. A guided turret AGV has a fixed mechanical aisle; a free-navigating picker’s aisle grows with speed. See also AGV Aisle Sizing and Layout, AGV Navigation Technologies, AGV Power Systems.