Electric lift truck models make up almost sixty percent of the whole material handling market. Powering these models are very heavy lead-acid batteries. Due to their immense 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. Even though the first expenditure of an electric lift truck is more than internal combustion lift trucks, electric models are less expensive to operate in the long run. This is due to their lesser maintenance and fuel costs.
Most of the electric rider trucks made and designed within North America are made for transporting material within 4 walls. Electric lift trucks have traditionally been limited to indoor use with clean and smooth surfaces. With the launch of some new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to utilize electric rider models in certain outdoor applications.
Due to the fact that electric forklift units provide no harmful emissions, they are normally chosen for indoor operations when compared to Internal Combustion lift trucks. Electric units can complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are really quiet when in use. The batteries for electric units weigh about 3,000 pounds. The job of recharging, reloading and removing the batteries can be time consuming and burdensome. This situation normally occurs at a battery charging station or an area that is particularly utilized for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies becoming available on the market and these new systems are changing the method of charging batteries.
The Right Fit
Using the correct size of forklift to complete the specific application is vital to any business operation. The application itself must always dictate which product is chosen.
Customers are striving to find reduce operating costs and more efficient means to lower operating costs, all the while increasing their overall productivity, particularly as the economy becomes more complex and competitive. Using the wrong size of lift truck can really slow things down and have a huge impact on the bottom line and success of a business, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
A good forklift dealer will be able to help if you are unsure about the particular kind of forklift you require. They will ask you correct questions that will allow you to make a correct selection. A lot of dealerships offer rentals of their equipment also and this is a really good way to try before you commit to such a big purchase. It is also a good way to try different models out to see which ones bring you the best productivity and which ones you and your operators are the most comfortable with.