Electric lift truck models make up almost sixty percent of the whole material handling market. Powering these units are very heavy lead-acid batteries. Due to their immense weight, these batteries naturally offer a lot of the counterweight.
Counterbalanced trucks are classified by the ITA as Class 1 forklifts. Class 1 also includes other electric trucks designed for general use and stand-up counterbalanced trucks. Although the first expense of an electric forklift is more than IC forklifts, electric units are cheaper to utilize eventually. This is due to their lesser fuel and maintenance costs.
Most of the electric rider trucks manufactured and designed in North America are made for moving material within 4 walls. Electric forklifts have traditionally been limited to indoor use with clean and smooth surfaces. With the introduction of several new Class 1 items, it is becoming more and more possible to use electric rider models in some outdoor operations.
Due to the fact that electric lift truck units provide no harmful emissions, they are normally selected for indoor applications when compared to IC forklifts. Electric models could complete a full 8 hour shift on one battery charge and are really quiet when in use. The batteries for electric units weigh approximately 3,000 pounds. The job of reloading, recharging and removing the batteries can be cumbersome and time consuming. This situation normally happens at a battery charging post or an area that is particularly used for handling batteries. There are evolving fast charging technologies becoming available on the market and these new systems are changing the battery charging process.
The Proper Fit
A main factor connected with any type of forklift is utilizing the right size of unit to do the particular operation. The application itself should always dictate what product is chosen.
Customers are always looking for ways to reduce their operating expenses and find more effective work practices that help lower these expenses, while also improving their production. Utilizing the wrong size of forklift could greatly slow things down and have a huge impact on the bottom line and productivity of a business, while negatively affecting the production on the jobsite.
A trustworthy lift truck dealer will be able to help if you are unsure about the specific kind of forklift you require. They would ask you correct questions that would allow you to make a correct choice. A lot of dealerships provide rentals of their equipment too and this is a great way to try before you commit to such a large purchase. It is also a nice way to try various units out to see which ones you and your operators are the most comfortable with and which ones bring you the best productivity.