About 60 percent of the forklift market is made up by electric lift truck units. These units derive their power from heavy, large lead-acid batteries that which prevents the machinery from tipping over because it gives it the counterweight.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 lift trucks. The category of Class1 also encompasses stand-up counterbalanced trucks as well as other electric trucks that are designed for general use. Even if the initial investment when purchasing an electric lift truck is more compared to an internal combustion or IC lift truck, electric lift trucks are less expensive to run and operate in the long-run. This is due to lower maintenance and fuel expenses, compared to the IC models.
Most of the electric rider lift trucks shipped within North America is made for transporting material inside. They are commonly utilized in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric units are the best choice for inside applications as they make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
Also, electric lift truck can normally run a complete 8 hour shift on a single battery charge. Recharging, reloading and removing batteries, which generally weigh about 3000 pounds could be time consuming and hard. This burdensome job usually requires a dedicated area for handling the battery. Nonetheless, new fast charging technologies are being used to change the procedure and update this process to be able to complete it in a a lot quicker method.
This fast charging technology is considered to be enhanced charging technology. It has revolutionized electric unit lift trucks and the charging time of their batteries. The material handling industry professionals, state that these new developments in the battery technology and battery charging systems can lessen charging time by up to 50 percent!
IC Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
IC forklifts depend on a range of different types of fuels, including liquid propane gas or LPG, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The bigger lift trucks are normally used outside. 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 slopes, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for smooth services and indoor use as they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG unit is the most popular fuel choice for indoor trucks. Today, there are over 600,000 propane-filled forklifts working around the world. These models offer a wide range of advantages. Like for example, forklifts which run on propane fuel maintain 100% consistent power during operation. Additionally, these units provide faster ground speeds compared to other power sources.