Electric lift truck models make up nearly 60 percent of the lift truck market. These models derive their power from big, heavy lead-acid batteries that give the equipment it's counterweight in order to avoid it from tipping over.
Based on ITA, electric counterbalanced lift trucks are considered Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 is the category which includes all stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric forklifts. Although the first investment when purchasing an electric lift truck is more than an IC or internal combustion truck, electric lift trucks are a lot less costly to operate and run in the long-run. This is due to lower maintenance and fuel expenses, than the internal combustion or IC units.
Most of the electric rider lift trucks shipped within North America is made for moving material inside. They are normally used in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric units are the best option for inside applications because of their ability to emit zero toxic emissions and make less noise.
The battery of an electric lift truck could operate on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The reloading, recharging and removing batteries which weigh upwards of 3000 pounds can be hard and time consuming. This cumbersome job usually requires a dedicated space for battery handling. Then again, new fast charging technologies are being used to change the procedure and update this process to be able to complete it in a a lot quicker method.
Fast charging technologies are considered the best charging technologies. It has revolutionized electric unit lift trucks and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The material handling business professionals, state that these new changes in the battery charging systems and battery technology can reduce charging time by up to 50%!
IC Counterbalanced Forklifts
The internal combustion powered forklifts would rely on types of fuels, such as LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas and gasoline. The bigger forklifts are normally utilized outside. Generally, these models operate on gas or diesel and uses pneumatic or air-filled tires so as to make them appropriate for steep slopes and rough environment, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for indoor use and smooth services because they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG model is the most common fuel option for indoor trucks. Nowadays, there are over 600,000 propane-filled lift trucks working all around the world. These units provide numerous benefits. For instance, propane-fueled forklifts maintain 100% constant power during operation. Furthermore, these units provide faster ground speeds than other power sources.