Generally, electric forklifts are the most ideal option for indoor use in manufacturing and warehousing operations for 2 major reasons: First off they create zero emissions. This is a really essential factor to take into account for indoor work places. Among the IC or internal combustion units, just the propane-fueled models can be used indoors and these models still need extremely good ventilation. Units which run on diesel and gas are not able to be utilized inside under any circumstances.
The primary benefit of electric lift trucks is fuel expenses. Compared to internal combustion or IC models, these have less expenses per hour. Among the main disadvantages to the electric forklifts is their higher initial expense. Brand new electric forklifts could vary from 20 percent to 40% more compared to internal combustion models that are rated the same.
Electric lift trucks however, offer numerous benefits like quiet operations, that can be a huge plus for indoor environments. Furthermore, no fuel storage requirements mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of dangerous and flammable fuels. Since electric lift trucks have less parts that move as opposed to internal combustion units, and they are normally utilized in cleaner settings and indoors, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The electric forklifts biggest downside is the batteries downtime. The big and very heavy, lead acid batteries are somewhat like those now found in cars. These batteries are extremely strong and extremely big. Normally, batteries provide enough power for one regular 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of nonstop use.
Originally, charging a forklift battery takes approximately 8 hours. After the charging process is done, an extra 8 hours of cooling time is needed before it can be used. Because of this long method of slow charging speed and additional cooling time, if you require lift trucks for 2 or 3 shift operations, you would have to purchase additional batteries so you can always be charging the next battery. These extra batteries would add approximately $1000 to $2000 to purchase.
There are some new fast charge electric forklifts on the market. These specialized batteries have revolutionized the electric forklift business. Their charging can be done during the course of lunch and coffee breaks, allowing them to get back to work a lot sooner.