Normally, electric lift trucks are the best alternative for indoor use in manufacturing and warehousing operations for 2 key reasons: First off they create zero emissions. This is a very vital factor to consider for indoor work places. Out of the Internal Combustion or IC units, just the propane-fueled models are able to be utilized inside and these units still need really good ventilation. Units that run on gas and diesel can not be utilized indoors under any circumstances.
Fuel cost is the other main benefit of electric lift trucks. These models have lower cost per hour compared to any of the other IC or internal combustion units. Among the main drawbacks to using the electric forklifts is their higher initial expense. Brand new electric lift trucks could range from 20 percent to 40 percent more compared to IC models that are rated the same.
On the other hand, electric forklifts offer many benefits including quiet operation. This is a huge plus for indoor applications. Furthermore, no need for fuel storage mean no room needs to be allotted for tanks of fuels that are both dangerous and flammable. As electric forklifts have less moving components than IC models, and they are usually used indoors and within cleaner settings, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The electric lift trucks biggest downside is the batteries downtime. The large and really heavy, lead acid batteries are quite like the ones now found inside automobiles. These batteries are very strong and really big. Normally, batteries provide sufficient power for one regular 8-hour shift, and this means 5 or 6 hours of continuous utilization.
Charging a lift truck battery would take roughly 8 hours. An extra 8 hours of cooling time is needed before it can be utilized after the charging process is completed. Because of this long process of extra cooling time and slow charging speed, if you need forklifts for 2 or 3 shift operations, you will have to buy additional batteries so you can always be charging the next battery. These additional batteries will add roughly $1000 to $2000 to buy.
There are several new fast charge electric lift trucks on the market. These specialized batteries have revolutionized the electric forklift business. Their charging could be completed during the course of coffee and lunch breaks, allowing them to get back to work much sooner.