The electric forklift is generally the most ideal option for indoor applications in warehouses and manufacturing environments. This is mostly due to 2 reasons with the first being that they produce zero emissions. This is an extremely essential factor to consider for indoor work places. Out of the Internal Combustion or IC units, just the propane-fueled models are able to be utilized indoors and these units still require extremely good ventilation. Units which run on gas and diesel are not able to be utilized inside under any circumstances.
The primary benefit of electric forklifts is fuel costs. Compared to internal combustion or IC units, these have lower expenses per hour. Among the main drawbacks to utilizing the electric forklifts is their higher initial cost. Brand new electric lift trucks could range from 20 percent to 40% more compared to IC units that are similarly rated.
However, electric lift trucks provide many advantages including quiet operation. This is a big plus for indoor applications. Furthermore, no fuel storage needs mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of dangerous and flammable fuels. Because electric forklifts have less parts that move than IC models, and they are normally utilized inside and in cleaner settings, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The electric lift trucks biggest disadvantage is the batteries downtime. The large and very heavy, lead acid batteries are somewhat similar to the ones now found inside automobiles. These batteries are extremely big and really powerful. Typically, batteries provide a sufficient amount of power for one regular 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of continuous use.
Originally, charging a lift truck battery takes roughly 8 hours. After the charging process is done, an extra 8 hours of cooling time is required before it can be used. Due to this long process of slow charging speed and extra cooling time, if you require forklifts for 2 or 3 shift operations, you should purchase additional batteries so you could always be charging the next battery. These extra batteries will add roughly $1000 to $2000 to the acquisition price.
There are several new fast charge electric lift trucks on the market. These specialized batteries have changed the electric lift truck business. Their charging can be done in the course of lunch and coffee breaks, enabling them to return to work much faster.