Roughly 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric lift truck units. These models are powered by heavy, big lead-acid batteries which which prevents the machinery from tipping over since it acts as the counterweight.
According to the ITA, electric counterbalanced forklifts are considered Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 is the category which includes all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric lift trucks. Although the first investment when you buy an electric forklift is more than an IC or internal combustion lift truck, electric lift trucks are a lot less costly to operate and run in the long-run. This is due to lower fuel and maintenance costs, in comparison to the IC or internal combustion models.
Within North America, most electric rider lift trucks are made for transporting materials indoors. Electric rider trucks are used most commonly in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric models are the right choice for inside use because of their ability to emit zero toxic emissions and make less noise.
Moreover, electric lift truck could usually work a complete 8 hour shift on one battery charge. Recharging, reloading and removing batteries, that generally weigh about 3000 pounds can be time consuming and difficult. This burdensome task usually requires a dedicated space for handling the battery. However, new fast charging technologies are being utilized to update this method and change the procedure to be able to accomplish it in a a lot quicker way.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has revolutionized electric unit forklifts and the charging time of their batteries. The material handling business experts, state that these new developments within the battery technology and battery charging systems could cut charging time by up to 50 percent!
IC Counterbalanced Forklifts
Internal combustion lift trucks depend on a range of different types of fuels, including liquid propane gas or LPG, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The larger lift trucks are commonly used outdoors. Generally, these units are diesel or gas powered and utilizes air-filled or pneumatic tires in order to make them appropriate for rough terrain and steep slopes, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for indoor use and smooth services since they are made from solid rubber.
The most common fuel option for indoor trucks is LPG. There are over 600,000 propane-filled forklifts today that are operating in DCs and within warehouses. These models offer various benefits. Like for instance, forklifts that operate on propane fuel maintain 100% constant power during operation. Furthermore, these models provide faster ground speeds than other power sources.