Approximately 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric lift truck units. These models are powered by huge, heavy lead-acid batteries which give the machinery it's counterweight in order to avoid it from tipping over.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 forklifts. The category of Class1 also encompasses stand-up counterbalanced forklifts as well as other electric trucks that are made for general application. Though the initial investment when buying an electric lift truck is more as opposed to an IC or internal combustion truck, electric lift trucks are a lot less expensive to operate and run in the long-run. This is due to lesser maintenance and fuel expenses, compared to the IC or internal combustion models.
Within North America, the majority of electric rider forklifts are made for moving materials indoors. Electric rider forklifts are used most frequently in retail spaces, and warehousing applications. The electric models are the right choice for inside applications due to their ability to make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
In addition, electric lift truck can generally operate a complete 8 hour shift on one battery charge. Recharging, reloading and removing batteries, which roughly weigh about 3000 pounds can be time consuming and difficult. This burdensome task often requires a dedicated space for handling the battery. Nevertheless, new fast charging technologies are being used to change the procedure and update this process to be able to complete it in a much quicker way.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has revolutionized electric unit forklifts and the charging time of their batteries. The material handling business professionals, state that these new changes in the battery charging systems and battery technology can lessen charging time by as much as 50 percent!
IC or Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Forklifts
The IC powered lift truck would rely on types of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The larger lift trucks are normally utilized outdoors. Generally, these models are diesel or gas powered and uses pneumatic or air-filled tires so as to make them suitable for rough environment and steep inclines, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for indoor applications and smooth services as they are made from solid rubber.
The most popular fuel option for indoor trucks is LPG. There are over 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks these days that are operating within DCs and in warehouses. These units provide a wide variety of advantages. For example, lift trucks which operate on propane fuel maintain 100 percent constant power during operation. Furthermore, these units offer faster ground speeds than other power sources.