Electric forklift units make up nearly 60% of the whole material handling market. Powering these units are extremely heavy lead-acid batteries. Due to their massive weight, these batteries naturally offer a lot of the counterweight.
Counterbalanced trucks are classified by the ITA as Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 also includes other electric trucks designed for general use and stand-up counterbalanced trucks. Though the first expenditure of an electric lift truck is more than IC forklifts, electric units are cheaper to utilize eventually. This is due to their lesser fuel and maintenance expenses.
Most of the electric rider trucks made and designed within North America are made for transporting material within 4 walls. Electric forklifts have usually been limited to indoor applications with clean and smooth surfaces. With the launch of some new Class 1 items, it is becoming increasingly possible to utilize electric rider units in certain outdoor applications.
When compared to Internal Combustion lift trucks, the electric trucks are normally chosen for indoor use 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 models weigh roughly 3,000 pounds. The job of reloading, recharging and removing the batteries can be time consuming and cumbersome. This situation often happens at a battery charging post or an area which is specifically designed for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies that will be available on the market and these new systems are changing the process of charging batteries.
The Right Fit
A main factor connected with any kind of forklift is utilizing the correct size of model to complete the particular operation. The application itself should always dictate what product is chosen.
Customers are always looking for means to lower their operating costs and find more effective work practices which help lower these costs, while also improving their production. Utilizing the wrong size of forklift could really slow things down and have a huge impact on the bottom line and productivity of a company, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
A good forklift dealer would be able to help if you are uncertain about the particular type of forklift you require. They will ask you correct questions which will enable you to make a correct choice. Numerous dealerships offer rentals of their machines also and this is a good way to try before you commit to such a big purchase. It is also a nice way to try various models out to see which ones you and your drivers are the most comfortable with and which ones bring you the best productivity.