Electric lift truck units make up nearly sixty percent of the whole material handling market. Powering these units are very heavy lead-acid batteries. Because of their immense weight, these batteries naturally supply a lot of the counterweight.
The counterbalanced kind of forklifts have been classed as Class 1 lift trucks by the ITA. Class 1 typically refers to electric lift trucks made for general applications and stand-up counterbalanced forklifts. Though the first cost of an electric lift truck is more than internal combustion forklifts, electric units are less expensive to use in the long run. This is because of their lesser maintenance and fuel expenses.
Most of the electric rider trucks manufactured and engineered within North America are made for transporting material within 4 walls. Electric forklifts have traditionally been limited to indoor applications with clean and smooth surfaces. With the launch of several new Class 1 items, it is becoming increasingly possible to utilize electric rider models in some outdoor operations.
When compared to IC forklifts, the electric trucks are typically chosen for indoor applications due to the fact they provide no harmful emissions, can often complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are really quiet to operate. The batteries for electric models weigh about 3,000 pounds. The job of reloading, recharging and removing the batteries could be time consuming and cumbersome. This situation normally occurs at a battery charging post or an area that is particularly used for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies that would be available on the market and these new systems are changing the battery charging process.
The Proper Fit
A main factor associated with any kind of lift truck is utilizing the right size of model to complete the specific application. The application itself should always dictate which product is selected.
Clients are always looking for methods to reduce their operating expenses and find more efficient work practices that help reduce these costs, while also improving their production. Using the wrong size of forklift could really slow things down and have a big impact on the bottom line and profitability of a business, while negatively affecting the productivity on the jobsite.
If you are unsure about what specific type of lift truck you need, a respectable dealer will be able to ask you the right questions that will enable you to make a correct selection. A lot of dealerships offer rentals of their machinery too and this is a very great 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 bring you the best productivity and which ones you and your operators are the most comfortable with.