About 60 percent of the lift truck market is made up by electric lift truck units. These models derive their power from heavy, huge lead-acid batteries that give the machinery it's counterweight so as to avoid it from tipping over.
The ITA states that electric counterbalanced trucks are considered Class 1 forklifts. The category of Class1 also includes stand-up counterbalanced forklifts along with other electric trucks which are designed for general application. Although the first investment when you buy an electric forklift is more than an IC or internal combustion lift truck, electric trucks are a lot less expensive to operate and run in the long-run. This is because of lesser fuel and maintenance expenses, compared to the IC models.
Most of the electric rider forklift trucks shipped in North America is made for moving material indoors. They are normally utilized in warehousing applications, and retail spaces. The electric units are the best alternative for inside applications because they make less noise and emit zero toxic emissions.
The battery of an electric forklift could run on average for 8 hours or for one shift. The reloading, recharging and removing batteries that weigh upwards of 3000 pounds could be hard and time consuming. This burdensome task normally requires a dedicated area for handling the battery. However, new fast charging technologies are being utilized to update this method and change the procedure to be able to accomplish it in a a lot faster method.
This fast charging technology is considered to be better charging technology. It has revolutionized electric model lift trucks and the time it takes to charge their batteries. The experts of the material handling industry, state that these new changes in the battery technology and battery charging systems could lessen charging time by up to 50%!
Internal Combustion Counterbalanced Forklifts
The IC powered lift truck will depend on kinds of fuels, like LPG or liquid propane gas, diesel, compressed natural gas or CNG and gasoline. The larger forklifts are normally used outside. Normally, these units are diesel or gas powered and uses pneumatic or air-filled tires in order to make them appropriate for rough terrain and steep slopes, compared to cushion tires. Cushion tires are more suitable for smooth services and indoor applications since they are made from solid rubber.
The LPG unit is the most popular fuel option for indoor trucks. Nowadays, there are more than 600,000 propane-filled forklifts working all over the globe. These models provide various advantages. For example, propane-fueled forklifts maintain 100 percent consistent power during operation. Additionally, these models provide faster ground speeds compared to other power sources.