Predictika · Fuel cells for lift trucks and heavy-duty vehicles

An AI sales agent's fuel cell order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for fuel cell units for a fleet of lift trucks, or a fuel cell engine for a heavy-duty application, from public spec sheets. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of those spec sheets and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: GenDrive Series 1000 and Series 2000 fuel cells for lift trucks and ProGen fuel cell engines: model, truck type, voltage, hydrogen storage, fit, supply and operating limits. See everything this validator covers

This validator models orders for the fuel cell products in three public Plug Power spec sheets, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • GenDrive Series 1000 — models 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700 and 1900 for sit-down counterbalanced trucks, with the nominal voltage (36 or 48 V; the 1900 is 48 V only), hydrogen storage (0.7 to 3.4 kg), smallest listed size, 350 bar fueling and the -22 to 104 degrees F operating range each sheet lists.
  • GenDrive Series 2000 — models 2100, 2300, 2400, 2600 and 2700 for stand-up reach and counterbalanced trucks, man-up orderpickers and turret trucks, with their voltage (24, 36 or 48 V), hydrogen storage, sizes and the same fueling and temperature limits.
  • ProGen engines — the P30, P60, P85 and P100 for heavy-duty motive applications, with rated power, DC voltage range, the 275 A current limit, hydrogen at 35 to 700 barg to ISO 14687-2:2012, the two coolant options, the -30 to 50 degrees C ambient range, and the weights of the fuel cell, cooling and air modules.
  • Figures checked — the hydrogen the order states for one fill of the whole fleet is compared with the units times the storage per unit, and the stated ProGen module weight with the sheet weights.

Any order for these products that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (Plug Power publishes none for these products, so this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), GenDrive Series 3000 for pallet trucks and tow tractors (no spec sheet with these figures was available, so orders for them are blocked), other Plug Power products such as electrolyzers and GenFuel hydrogen supply, and any change Plug Power has made to its products since these sheets were published.

The AI sales agentBuilds the fuel cell order from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A fuel cell model that does not match the truck type or voltageOnly with care
Each model has its own list of truck types and voltages, so every model needs its own compatibility rows, and a new sheet means editing them by hand.		The model, truck type and voltage are in one request and compared with the spec sheets on every call.
A battery compartment smaller than the unitOnly with care
The compartment size has to be compared with a per-model size table in three dimensions; it is easy to check length and forget height.		All three dimensions are compared with the smallest listed size on every call, and the finding shows both sizes.
Hydrogen per fill stated by the agent that does not equal units times storageOnly with workarounds
The stated figure is usually free text or a separate field, so it takes an extra rule that multiplies and compares.		The stated figure is part of the request and is compared with the computed figure on every call.
ProGen engine limits (power, voltage range, current, hydrogen, coolant, temperature)Only with care
Six independent limits per engine, each with its own model-by-model table, which have to be kept in step.		All six are checked together on every call, in whatever order the choices arrived.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The truck voltage of 36 V is not a nominal voltage the spec sheet lists for the selected GenDrive model.
2A hydrogen storage of 1,400 g is not listed for the selected GenDrive model.
3The battery compartment (40.0 x 26.0 x 24.0 in) is smaller than the smallest listed size of the selected unit (38.6 x 27.2 x 22.75 in); other sizes are available on request.
4The selected unit is not listed for this truck type; Series 1,000 is for sit-down counterbalanced trucks, Series 2,000 for stand-up reach and counterbalanced trucks, man-up orderpickers and turret trucks, and ProGen engines for heavy-duty motive applications.
5The truck voltage of 48 V is not a nominal voltage the spec sheet lists for the selected GenDrive model.
6A hydrogen storage of 700 g is not listed for the selected GenDrive model.
7Pallet trucks and tow tractors use GenDrive Series 3,000, for which this validator has no published specifications; it covers Series 1,000, Series 2,000 and ProGen only.
8GenDrive units are fueled at 350 bar; the order has a hydrogen supply of 200 bar.
9GenDrive is listed for -22 to 104 degrees F (-30 to 40 degrees C); the site ranges from -10 to 45 degrees C.
10The order states 12,000 g of hydrogen for a fill of the whole fleet, but 12 unit(s) at 1,100 g each hold 13,200 g.
11The order has 0 units; at least one is needed.
12The application needs 45 kW but the selected ProGen engine is rated at 30 kW net.
13The DC bus voltage of 300 V is outside the 344 to 570 V output range listed for the selected ProGen engine.
14The application needs 300 A; ProGen engines list an output current range of 0 to 275 A.
15ProGen engines list hydrogen at 35 to 700 barg; the order has a supply of 800 bar.
16ProGen engines list hydrogen per ISO 14,687-2:2,012; the order says the hydrogen is not to that standard.
17ProGen engines list deionized water or a 50/50 ethylene glycol and deionized water mixture as coolant; the order specifies another coolant.
18ProGen engines list an ambient temperature of -30 to 50 degrees C; the site ranges from -10 to 55 degrees C.
19The order states 360 kg for the fuel cell, cooling and air modules, but the spec sheet weights add up to 407 kg.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Sit-down trucks: GenDrive 1900 for ten 36 V trucks

    
The agent's request. Please quote ten GenDrive 1900 units for our 36 V sit-down counterbalanced trucks, with 1,700 g of hydrogen each and 17,000 g for one fill of all ten. The battery compartment is 40 x 36 x 24 inches. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Voltage not offered for this model. The truck voltage of 36 V is not a nominal voltage the spec sheet lists for the selected GenDrive model.
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  • Battery compartment too small. The battery compartment (40.0 x 36.0 x 24.0 in) is smaller than the smallest listed size of the selected unit (44.1 x 43.1 x 23.3 in); other sizes are available on request.
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2. Sit-down trucks: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote ten GenDrive 1700 units for our 36 V sit-down counterbalanced trucks, with 1,700 g of hydrogen each and 17,000 g for one fill of all ten. The battery compartment is 40 x 36 x 24 inches. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 10 GenDrive unit(s) with 1,700 g of hydrogen each, 17,000 g for one fill of all units.
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3. Reach trucks: Twelve GenDrive 2600 with a stated 12,000 g per fill

    
The agent's request. Please quote twelve GenDrive 2600 units for our 48 V stand-up reach trucks, with 1,100 g of hydrogen each and 12,000 g for one fill of all twelve. The battery compartment is 44 x 25 x 31 inches. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated hydrogen per fill differs. The order states 12,000 g of hydrogen for a fill of the whole fleet, but 12 unit(s) at 1,100 g each hold 13,200 g.
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4. Reach trucks: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote twelve GenDrive 2600 units for our 48 V stand-up reach trucks, with 1,100 g of hydrogen each and 13,200 g for one fill of all twelve. The battery compartment is 44 x 25 x 31 inches. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 12 GenDrive unit(s) with 1,100 g of hydrogen each, 13,200 g for one fill of all units.
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5. Heavy-duty engines: ProGen P60 for a 75 kW application

    
The agent's request. Please quote a ProGen P60 engine for our heavy-duty application: 75 kW on a 400 V DC bus, with 50/50 ethylene glycol and deionized water as coolant. The fuel cell, cooling and air modules are stated at 326 kg. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Power need above the engine rating. The application needs 75 kW but the selected ProGen engine is rated at 60 kW net.
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6. Heavy-duty engines: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a ProGen P85 engine for our heavy-duty application: 75 kW on a 400 V DC bus, with 50/50 ethylene glycol and deionized water as coolant. The fuel cell, cooling and air modules are stated at 407 kg. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. ProGen engine rated 85 kW net; its fuel cell, cooling and air modules weigh 407 kg in total.
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7. Pallet trucks: GenDrive units for ten pallet trucks

    
The agent's request. Please quote ten GenDrive 1700 units for our 48 V pallet trucks, with 1,700 g of hydrogen each and 17,000 g for one fill of all ten. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • GenDrive Series 3000 trucks not covered. Pallet trucks and tow tractors use GenDrive Series 3,000, for which this validator has no published specifications; it covers Series 1,000, Series 2,000 and ProGen only.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares an order for fuel cell units for a fleet of lift trucks, or a fuel cell engine for a heavy-duty application, from public spec sheets. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of those spec sheets and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote ten GenDrive 1900 units for our 36 V sit-down counterbalanced trucks, with 1,700 g of hydrogen each and 17,000 g for one fill of all ten. The battery compartment is 40 x 36 x 24 inches. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. The truck voltage of 36 V is not a nominal voltage the spec sheet lists for the selected GenDrive model. The battery compartment (40.0 x 36.0 x 24.0 in) is smaller than the smallest listed size of the selected unit (44.1 x 43.1 x 23.3 in); other sizes are available on request.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned two blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for a fuel cell model that does not match the truck type or voltage, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the fuel cell to GenDrive 1700.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. Both earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
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  13. Two problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    14.