Electric forklift units make up almost sixty percent of the entire material handling market. Powering these models are extremely heavy lead-acid batteries. Because of their massive weight, these batteries naturally offer a lot of the counterweight.
The counterbalanced kind of lift trucks have been classed as Class 1 forklifts by the ITA. Class 1 normally refers to electric forklifts made for general applications and stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks. Though the first cost of an electric lift truck is more than IC forklifts, electric models are cheaper to use eventually. This is due to their lesser fuel and maintenance costs.
The majority of electric lift truck models which have been made and engineered in North America, are utilized mainly in indoor environments. Electric forklifts have usually been limited to indoor use with surfaces that are clean and smooth. With the introduction of some new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to utilize electric rider models in certain outdoor operations.
When compared to IC lift trucks, the electric trucks are normally chosen for indoor use due to the fact they provide no harmful emissions, can often complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are very quiet to operate. The batteries for electric units weigh roughly 3,000 pounds. The job of recharging, reloading and removing the batteries can be cumbersome and time consuming. This situation often happens at a battery charging station or an area which is specially designed for handling batteries. There are developing fast charging technologies becoming available on the market and these new systems are changing the method of charging batteries.
The Right Fit
Utilizing the right size of lift truck to do the specific operation is key to any business application. The application itself must always dictate what product is chosen.
Customers are striving to find reduce operating expenses and more efficient means to lessen operating expenses, all the while increasing their overall production, especially because the economy becomes more competitive and complex. Utilizing the wrong size of lift truck could really slow things down and have a huge effect on the bottom line and profitability of a company, while negatively affecting the productivity on the jobsite.
If you are unsure about what specific type of forklift you require, a reliable dealer would be able to ask you the right questions that will allow you to make a correct selection. Numerous dealerships offer rentals of their equipment as well and this is a really great way to try before you commit to such a huge purchase. It is also a nice way to try different units out to see which ones bring you the best productivity and which ones you and your drivers are the most comfortable with.