About 60 percent of the forklift market is made up by electric forklift units. These units are powered by heavy, large lead-acid batteries which give the machine it's counterweight in order to avoid it from tipping over.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced forklifts are considered Class 1 forklifts. The category of Class1 also includes stand-up counterbalanced forklifts as well as other electric trucks which are designed for general application. Although the first investment when buying an electric lift truck is more compared to an IC or internal combustion forklift, electric trucks are less expensive to operate and run in the long-run. This is due to lower fuel and maintenance costs, than the IC models.
Within North America, most electric rider lift trucks are made for moving materials indoors. Electric rider trucks are utilized most commonly in retail spaces, and warehousing applications. The electric units are the right alternative for inside use as they emit zero toxic emissions and make less noise.
The battery of an electric forklift could run 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 burdensome task normally requires a dedicated area for handling the battery. Nonetheless, new fast charging technologies are being utilized to change the procedure and update this process to be able to accomplish it in a a lot quicker way.
This fast charging technology is considered to be enhanced charging technology. It has changed electric unit lift trucks and the charging time of their batteries. The professionals of the material handling industry, state that these new developments within the battery technology and battery charging systems can reduce charging time by as much as 50 percent!
Internal Combustion or IC Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Internal combustion forklifts depend on a variety of different kinds of fuels, including liquid propane gas or LPG, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The larger forklifts are commonly utilized outside. Usually, these units operate on diesel or gas and uses pneumatic or air-filled tires in order to make them appropriate for rough environment and steep slopes, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for indoor use and smooth services since they are made from solid rubber.
The most popular fuel choice for indoor trucks is LPG. There are over 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks these days that are operating within DCs and within warehouses. These units offer numerous benefits. For instance, forklifts that operate on propane fuel maintain 100% consistent power during operation. What's more, these models provide faster ground speeds than other power sources.