About sixty percent of the lift truck market consist of electric units. These units derive their power from very heavy lead-acid batteries. Because of their immense weight, these batteries naturally offer a lot of the counterweight.
The counterbalanced version of lift trucks have been classed as Class 1 forklifts by the ITA. Class 1 normally refers to electric lift trucks made for general applications and stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks. Although the first expense of an electric forklift is more than internal combustion forklifts, electric units are cheaper to use eventually. This is due to their lesser fuel and maintenance expenses.
The majority of electric lift truck units that have been manufactured and engineered within North America, are utilized mainly in indoor environments. Electric forklifts have usually been limited to indoor use with surfaces that are smooth and clean. With the introduction of several new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to utilize electric rider units in certain outdoor operations.
When compared to IC lift trucks, the electric trucks are typically selected for indoor applications due to the fact they provide no harmful emissions, can usually complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are really quiet to operate. The batteries for electric units weigh approximately 3,000 pounds. The job of recharging, reloading and removing the batteries can be time consuming and cumbersome. This situation often happens at a battery charging station or an area which is particularly used for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies becoming available on the market and these new systems are changing the battery charging process.
The Proper Fit
Using the right size of lift truck to do the particular operation is important to any business application. The application itself should always dictate which product is chosen.
Clients are always looking for methods to reduce their operating costs and find more effective work practices that help lessen these expenses, while also improving their productivity. Using the wrong size of lift truck can really slow things down and have a huge effect on the bottom line and success of a company, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
If you are uncertain about what specific kind of forklift you need, a reliable dealer will be able to ask you the right questions which would allow you to make a proper selection. Numerous dealerships provide rentals of their machinery as well and this is a great way to try before you commit to such a huge purchase. It is also a good way to try various units out to see which ones bring you the best productivity and which ones you and your drivers are the most comfortable with.