Usually, electric forklifts are the most ideal option for indoor use within warehouses and manufacturing applications for 2 main reasons: First off they produce zero emissions. This is a very vital factor to consider for indoor work places. Amongst the IC or internal combustion models, just the propane-fueled units can be used inside and these models still require really good ventilation. Diesel and gas powered models are not able to be utilized indoors under any circumstances.
The main advantage of electric lift trucks is fuel expenses. Compared to internal combustion or IC models, these have lower expenses per hour. Among the main disadvantages to utilizing the electric forklifts is their higher initial expense. New electric forklifts could range from 20% to 40% more compared to IC units that are similarly rated.
On the other hand, electric lift trucks provide many benefits including quiet operation. This is a big plus for indoor applications. Moreover, no need for fuel storage mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of dangerous and flammable fuels. Because electric lift trucks have less parts that move compared to IC models, and they are usually used inside and in cleaner environments, they tend to have a longer lifespan overall.
The electric lift trucks biggest downside is the batteries downtime. The large and really heavy, lead acid batteries are somewhat similar to those now found inside cars. These batteries are really strong and really large. Typically, batteries offer an adequate amount of power for one standard 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of nonstop utilization.
Initially, charging a forklift battery takes about 8 hours. After the charging process is done, an additional 8 hours of cooling time is needed before it can be utilized. Due to this long method of slow charging speed and additional cooling time, if you need forklifts for 2 or 3 shift operations, you should purchase extra batteries so you can be charging the nest battery always. These additional batteries would add about $1000 to $2000 to purchase.
On the market today, there are several new fast charge electric forklifts. These fast charge batteries have changed the business of electric forklifts. Their charging could be completed during the course of coffee and lunch breaks, enabling them to return to work much faster.