Roughly 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric forklift models. These units are powered by big, heavy lead-acid batteries that give the machinery it's counterweight in order to prevent it from tipping over.
Based on ITA, electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 lift trucks. Class 1 is the category that includes all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric lift trucks. Though the first investment when buying an electric forklift is more as opposed to an internal combustion or IC forklift, electric trucks are less expensive to operate and run in the long-run. This is due to lesser fuel and maintenance costs, than the internal combustion or IC models.
Most of the electric rider lift trucks shipped within North America is made for moving material inside. They are commonly used in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric models are the best option for inside use because of their ability to make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
The battery of an electric forklift can run on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The reloading, recharging and removing batteries that weigh upwards of 3000 pounds could be hard and time consuming. This burdensome job usually needs a dedicated area for battery handling. Then again, new fast charging technologies are being used to update this method and change the procedure to be able to complete it in a a lot faster method.
This fast charging technology is considered to be enhanced charging technology. It has revolutionized electric model forklifts and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The professionals of the material handling industry, state that these new developments in the battery technology and battery charging systems can reduce charging time by up to 50 percent!
IC or Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Forklifts
The IC powered lift truck will rely on kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The larger forklifts are commonly used outdoors. Usually, these units are diesel or gas powered and uses pneumatic or air-filled tires in order to make them appropriate for steep inclines and rough terrain, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for indoor use and smooth services as they are made from solid rubber.
The most common fuel choice for indoor trucks is LPG. There are over 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks today that are operating within DCs and within warehouses. These units provide various benefits. For instance, propane-fueled lift trucks maintain 100% constant power during operation. Additionally, these units offer faster ground speeds as opposed to other power sources.