Roughly 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric lift truck models. These units are powered by heavy, big lead-acid batteries that that prevents the machinery from tipping over as it acts as the counterweight.
Based on ITA, electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 lift trucks. Class 1 is the category that covers all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric forklifts. Although the initial investment when purchasing an electric forklift is more as opposed to an IC or internal combustion truck, electric forklifts are less costly to run and operate in the long-run. This is because of lower fuel and maintenance expenses, than the internal combustion models.
Most of the electric rider lift trucks shipped in North America is made for moving material inside. They are usually used in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric models are the best alternative for inside use because they make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
Moreover, electric lift truck can usually operate a complete 8 hour shift on a single battery charge. Reloading, recharging and removing batteries, which roughly weigh about 3000 lbs. could be time consuming and difficult. This burdensome job usually needs a dedicated space for battery handling. Nevertheless, new fast charging technologies are now utilized to change the procedure and update this process to be able to complete it in a a lot faster method.
This fast charging technology is considered to be enhanced charging technology. It has changed electric model lift trucks and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The professionals of the material handling industry, state that these new developments in the battery charging systems and battery technology can reduce charging time by up to 50 percent!
IC or Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Forklifts
The IC powered lift truck will depend on kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The bigger lift trucks are usually utilized outside. Generally, these units are gas or diesel powered and utilizes pneumatic or air-filled tires so as to make them suitable for steep inclines and rough terrain, as opposed to cushion tires. Cushion tires are better suited for indoor applications and smooth services since they are made from solid rubber.
The most common fuel choice for indoor trucks is LPG. There are more than 600,000 propane-filled forklifts these days that are operating within DCs and in warehouses. These units offer a wide range of advantages. Like for instance, lift trucks that run on propane fuel maintain 100% consistent power during operation. Also, these units provide faster ground speeds than other power sources.