Around 60 percent of the lift truck market consist of electric units. These units derive their power from really heavy lead-acid batteries. Because of their immense weight, these batteries naturally provide much of the counterweight.
Counterbalanced trucks are classified by the ITA as Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 also includes other electric trucks designed for general applications and stand-up counterbalanced trucks. Even if the first expense of an electric forklift is more than IC lift trucks, electric units are cheaper to utilize eventually. This is due to their lower fuel and maintenance expenses.
Most electric forklift units that have been made and engineered within North America, are utilized mostly in indoor environments. Electric forklifts have usually been limited to indoor use with surfaces that are smooth and clean. With the introduction of several new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to utilize electric rider units in some outdoor operations.
When compared to Internal Combustion forklifts, the electric trucks are typically chosen for indoor use because of the fact they provide no harmful emissions, can usually complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are extremely quiet to run. The batteries for electric units weigh around 3,000 pounds. The job of reloading, recharging and removing the batteries could be time consuming and cumbersome. This situation usually happens at a battery charging station or an area which is specifically designed for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies that will be available on the market and these new systems are changing the process of charging batteries.
The Proper Fit
Using the correct size of forklift to do the specific operation is important to any business operation. The application itself must always dictate which product is chosen.
Customers are striving to find lower operating expenses and more effective methods to lessen operating costs, all the while increasing their overall productivity, particularly as the economy becomes more competitive and complex. Using the wrong size of lift truck could greatly slow things down and have a big effect on the bottom line and success of a company, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
A trustworthy lift truck dealer would be able to assist if you are uncertain about the specific type of lift truck you require. They will ask you right questions which would allow you to make a proper selection. Many dealerships offer rentals of their machinery too and this is a really great way to try before you commit to such a huge purchase. It is also a nice way to try different units out to see which ones you and your operators are the most comfortable with and which ones bring you the best production.