Roughly sixty percent of the lift truck market consist of electric units. These units derive their power from extremely heavy lead-acid batteries. Due to their massive weight, these batteries naturally supply a lot of the counterweight.
Counterbalanced trucks are classified by the ITA as Class 1 lift trucks. Class 1 also includes other electric trucks made for general applications and stand-up counterbalanced trucks. Even though the first cost of an electric lift truck is more than IC forklifts, electric units are less expensive to utilize eventually. This is because of their lower fuel and maintenance expenses.
Most electric forklift units which have been manufactured and designed in North America, are used mostly in indoor environments. Electric forklifts have traditionally been limited to indoor use with surfaces that are clean and smooth. With the introduction of several new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to utilize electric rider models in some outdoor applications.
When compared to IC forklifts, the electric trucks are typically chosen for indoor use because of the fact they produce no harmful emissions, can normally complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are extremely quiet to run. Electric unit batteries weigh approximately 3,000 pounds. The job of reloading, recharging and removing the batteries could be time consuming and burdensome. This situation usually happens at a battery charging station or an area which is particularly designed for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies that would be available on the market and these new systems are changing the battery charging process.
The Right Fit
A main factor associated with any kind of lift truck is utilizing the right size of model to do the specific operation. The application itself should always dictate what product is selected.
Customers are always looking for methods to lower their operating expenses and find more effective work practices which help lower these expenses, while also improving their productivity. Utilizing the wrong size of lift truck can really slow things down and have a huge impact on the bottom line and productivity of a company, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
A good lift truck dealer would be able to assist if you are uncertain about the specific kind of forklift you require. They will ask you right questions that will enable you to make a proper choice. Many dealerships provide rentals of their machinery as well and this is a really good way to try before you commit to such a large purchase. It is also a nice way to try various models out to see which ones bring you the best productivity and which ones you and your drivers are the most comfortable with.