The electric forklift is normally the most ideal alternative for indoor applications in warehouses and manufacturing settings. This is mostly due to 2 reasons with the first being that they produce zero emissions. This is a very vital factor to take into consideration for indoor work places. Among the IC or internal combustion units, only the propane-fueled models are able to be utilized indoors and these models still require really good ventilation. Units that work on gas and diesel can not be used indoors under any circumstances.
Fuel cost is the other main benefit of electric forklifts. These models have less cost per hour compared to any of the other IC or internal combustion models. Among the main drawbacks to utilizing the electric forklifts is their higher initial expense. New electric lift trucks can range from 20% to 40 percent more compared to internal combustion units that are similarly rated.
On the other hand, electric lift trucks provide many advantages including quiet operation. This is a big plus for indoor applications. Additionally, no requirement for fuel storage mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of fuels that are flammable and dangerous. As electric forklifts have less moving parts than internal combustion units, and they are normally utilized inside and within cleaner environments, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The battery downtime is the biggest downside of an electric lift truck. These models run with heavy, big, lead-acid batteries, like the ones found in your car. These batteries are really large and really powerful. Normally, batteries provide enough power for one standard 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of nonstop utilization.
Originally, charging a lift truck battery takes approximately 8 hours. After the charging process is completed, an extra 8 hours of cooling time is needed before it could be utilized. Because of this long method of slow charging speed and extra cooling time, if you need forklifts for 2 or 3 shift operations, you must buy extra batteries so you can always be charging the next battery. These extra batteries would add about $1000 to $2000 to buy.
There are several new fast charge electric lift trucks available on the market. These specialized batteries have revolutionized the electric lift truck business. Their charging could be completed in the course of coffee and lunch breaks, allowing them to return to work much sooner.