Electric lift truck models make up almost 60 percent of the lift truck market. These models get their power from heavy, big lead-acid batteries that which prevents the machinery from tipping over as it acts as the counterweight.
Based on ITA, electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 lift trucks. Class 1 is the category which includes all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric forklifts. Even though the first investment when purchasing an electric forklift is more than an IC or internal combustion lift truck, electric forklifts are less expensive to run and operate in the long-run. This is because of lesser fuel and maintenance costs, than the IC models.
In North America, the majority of electric rider forklifts are designed for transporting materials indoors. Electric rider forklifts are used most commonly in retail spaces, and warehousing applications. The electric models are the best alternative for inside applications because of their ability to make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
The battery of an electric lift truck could run on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The recharging, reloading and removing batteries which weigh upwards of 3000 pounds could be difficult and time consuming. This burdensome job usually needs a dedicated area for battery handling. However, new fast charging technologies are now used to change the procedure and update this process to be able to accomplish it in a much quicker method.
This fast charging technology is considered to be better charging technology. It has revolutionized electric model forklifts and the charging time of their batteries. The professionals of the material handling industry, state that these new changes within the battery charging systems and battery technology can reduce charging time by up to 50 percent!
Internal Combustion or IC Counterbalanced Forklifts
The internal combustion powered forklifts would depend on kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The bigger forklifts are commonly used outside. Generally, these models operate on gas or diesel and utilizes pneumatic or air-filled tires in order to make them appropriate for steep slopes and rough terrain, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for smooth services and indoor use because they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG model is the most popular fuel option for indoor trucks. Nowadays, there are over 600,000 propane-filled forklifts working all over the world. These models offer numerous advantages. For instance, propane-fueled lift trucks maintain 100% constant power during operation. As well, these units offer faster ground speeds compared to other power sources.