About 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric forklift models. These models are powered by heavy, huge lead-acid batteries that give the machine it's counterweight so as to prevent it from tipping over.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 lift trucks. The category of Class1 also includes stand-up counterbalanced forklifts as well as other electric trucks that are made for general application. Although the first investment when you purchase an electric forklift is more compared to an IC or internal combustion truck, electric lift trucks are less costly to operate and run in the long-run. This is because of lesser fuel and maintenance expenses, than the IC or internal combustion units.
Within North America, most electric rider lift trucks are made for moving materials indoors. Electric rider trucks are used most commonly in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric units are the best option for inside applications because they emit zero toxic emissions and make less noise.
The battery of an electric lift truck can operate on average for 8 hours or for a single shift. The recharging, reloading and removing batteries which weigh upwards of 3000 pounds can be difficult and time consuming. This cumbersome task often needs a dedicated space for battery handling. Then again, new fast charging technologies are being used to update this method and change the procedure to be able to accomplish it in a much faster way.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has changed electric model forklifts and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The material handling business experts, state that these new changes in the battery technology and battery charging systems could lessen charging time by as much as 50 percent!
Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
IC forklifts depend on a variety of different kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The bigger forklifts are usually utilized outdoors. Usually, these units operate on diesel or gas and utilizes pneumatic or air-filled tires in order to make them appropriate for rough environment and steep inclines, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for smooth services and indoor use since they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG unit is the most popular fuel choice for indoor trucks. Today, there are more than 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks operating all around the world. These models offer a huge range of advantages. For example, forklifts that run on propane fuel maintain 100% constant power during operation. Additionally, these units offer faster ground speeds than other power sources.