Roughly 60 percent of the forklift market is made up by electric forklift models. These units are powered by big, heavy lead-acid batteries which which prevents the equipment from tipping over as it gives it the counterweight.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 forklifts. The category of Class1 also encompasses stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks along with other electric trucks which are made for general use. Although the initial investment when buying an electric lift truck is more than an internal combustion or IC forklift, electric trucks are a lot less expensive to run and operate in the long-run. This is because of lesser fuel and maintenance costs, than the internal combustion models.
Within North America, most electric rider forklifts are made for transporting materials indoors. Electric rider lift trucks are used most frequently in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric models are the best option for inside applications because of their ability to make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
Additionally, electric forklift can normally operate a complete 8 hour shift on one battery charge. Recharging, reloading and removing batteries, that roughly weigh around 3000 lbs. can be time consuming and hard. This burdensome task usually needs a dedicated area for battery handling. Then again, new fast charging technologies are now used to update this method and change the procedure to be able to complete it in a much quicker way.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has changed electric unit lift trucks and the charging time of their batteries. The experts of the material handling business, state that these new changes within the battery technology and battery charging systems could lessen charging time by as much as 50%!
IC Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
The internal combustion powered lift truck would rely on types of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The bigger lift trucks are normally utilized outdoors. Normally, these models operate on diesel or gas and utilizes pneumatic or air-filled tires so as to make them suitable for rough terrain and steep inclines, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for smooth services and indoor use as they are made from solid rubber.
The most popular fuel option for indoor trucks is LPG. There are more than 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks these days that are operating in DCs and within warehouses. These models offer numerous benefits. For instance, forklifts which operate on propane fuel maintain 100% constant power during operation. Additionally, these units provide faster ground speeds compared to other power sources.