Electric forklift models make up almost 60 percent of the forklift market. These models are powered by huge, heavy lead-acid batteries that give the machine it's counterweight in order to prevent it from tipping over.
Based on ITA, electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 is the category which includes all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric lift trucks. Though the initial investment when you buy an electric lift truck is more than an internal combustion or IC forklift, electric trucks are a lot less costly to run and operate in the long-run. This is due to lower fuel and maintenance costs, compared to the internal combustion models.
Within North America, most electric rider forklifts are designed for moving materials indoors. Electric rider lift trucks are utilized most commonly in retail spaces, and warehousing applications. The electric models are the right choice for inside applications because they make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
The battery of an electric forklift can run on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The reloading, recharging and removing batteries that weigh upwards of 3000 pounds could be hard and time consuming. This burdensome job usually requires a dedicated space for handling the battery. However, new fast charging technologies are now utilized to change the procedure and update this method to be able to complete it in a much quicker way.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has changed electric unit forklifts and the charging time of their batteries. The experts of the material handling industry, state that these new developments within the battery technology and battery charging systems could cut charging time by up to 50 percent!
IC or Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
IC forklifts depend on a variety of different types of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The larger lift trucks are commonly used outdoors. Generally, these models operate on gas or diesel and utilizes pneumatic or air-filled tires so as to make them appropriate for rough environment and steep slopes, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for indoor use and smooth services as they are made from solid rubber.
The most common fuel choice for indoor trucks is LPG. There are over 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks today that are operating in DCs and in warehouses. These models offer a wide variety of advantages. For example, forklifts which operate on propane fuel maintain 100% constant power during operation. Moreover, these models offer faster ground speeds compared to other power sources.