The electric forklift is normally the most ideal alternative for indoor use within warehouses and manufacturing environments. This is mainly due to 2 reasons with the first being that they produce zero emissions. This is a really essential factor to consider for indoor work places. Out of the Internal Combustion or IC models, only the propane-fueled units are able to be utilized indoors and these models still need extremely good ventilation. Gas and diesel powered models could not be used inside under any circumstances.
Fuel cost is the other primary advantage of electric lift trucks. These models have lower cost per hour as opposed to any of the other IC or internal combustion units. Among the main disadvantages to the electric forklifts is their higher initial cost. New electric forklifts could range from 20% to 40% more compared to IC units that are rated the same.
On the other hand, electric lift trucks provide many advantages like quiet operation. This is a big plus for indoor operations. Moreover, no requirement for fuel storage mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of fuels that are both dangerous and flammable. As electric lift trucks have less components that move than internal combustion models, and they are usually utilized within cleaner settings and indoors, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The electric forklifts biggest disadvantage is the batteries downtime. The large and very heavy, lead acid batteries are quite similar to the ones now found in cars. These batteries are extremely powerful and very big. Normally, batteries provide enough power for one standard 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of continuous use.
Charging a lift truck battery would take roughly 8 hours. An extra 8 hours of cooling time is required before it can be used after the charging process is completed. Due to this long process of slow charging speed and extra cooling time, if you need lift trucks for 2 or 3 shift operations, you must purchase additional batteries so you can always be charging the next battery. These additional batteries would add about $1000 to $2000 to the acquisition price.
There are some new fast charge electric lift trucks available on the market. These specialized batteries have revolutionized the electric forklift industry. Their charging can be completed during the course of coffee and lunch breaks, allowing them to return to work a lot faster.