About 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric forklift units. These models get their power from huge, heavy lead-acid batteries that that prevents the equipment from tipping over as it gives it the counterweight.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced forklifts are considered Class 1 forklifts. The category of Class1 also includes stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks along with other electric trucks which are designed for general use. Even if the first investment when you purchase an electric lift truck is more compared to an internal combustion or IC truck, electric lift trucks are a lot less costly to run and operate in the long-run. This is due to lesser fuel and maintenance expenses, than the IC models.
The majority of the electric rider forklift trucks shipped in North America is designed for moving material inside. They are commonly used in retail spaces, and warehousing applications. The electric units are the best choice for inside use as they make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
The battery of an electric lift truck can run on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The reloading, recharging and removing batteries that weigh upwards of 3000 pounds can be hard and time consuming. This cumbersome task usually needs a dedicated area for handling the battery. Nevertheless, new fast charging technologies are being utilized to change the procedure and update this method to be able to accomplish it in a a lot quicker method.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has revolutionized electric unit forklifts and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The material handling business professionals, state that these new developments in the battery charging systems and battery technology could cut charging time by as much as 50 percent!
IC Counterbalanced Forklifts
The IC powered lift truck will depend on kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The larger forklifts are normally utilized outside. Generally, these models are diesel or gas powered and utilizes air-filled or pneumatic tires so as to make them suitable for steep inclines and rough terrain, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for smooth services and indoor applications as they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG model is the most common fuel option for indoor trucks. These days, there are more than 600,000 propane-filled forklifts working all over the world. These units offer various advantages. For example, propane-fueled lift trucks maintain 100% constant power during operation. Also, these units provide faster ground speeds than other power sources.