What You Need To Know About Electric Forklifts

Posted by Gaby Wallace on January 3rd, 2019

What Is An Electric Forklift?

As stated by its name, the electric forklift is powered by an electric motor rather than an internal combustion engine. Often, these machines are powered using industrial-grade rechargeable batteries. However, there are examples powered using rails, wires, and other means of conveying power. Regardless, the electric forklifts possess both advantages and disadvantages compared to their more traditional counterparts, meaning that it is well-worth looking into by businesses interested in a superior lifting solution.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Electric Forklift?

Here are some examples of the advantages and disadvantages of electric forklifts:

Less Expensive to Operate

One of the most important points that people like to bring up is that the electric forklift costs less to operate than its traditional counterpart. As a result, it costs less over the course of its lifespan, meaning significant savings for businesses thinking in the long term.

Less Expensive to Maintain

On a related note, such machines tend to be less expensive to maintain as well. In part, this is because they have fewer moving parts, meaning that it builds up wear and tear at a slower rate. This is important from the perspective of costs. Furthermore, an easier-to-maintain machine tends to be a better-maintained machine, which is very beneficial from the perspective of reliability. Something that can be particularly important when looking through used forklifts for sale.

Less Pollution

For businesses that care about the environment, the electric forklift is the better option because of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is interesting to note that there are potential benefits beyond the ethical. For example, there are a lot of people out there who care about the environment, meaning that a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can be useful in PR campaign by making potential customers better disposed towards the business. Likewise, these machines produce fewer fumes, meaning that there is a reduced need for ventilation.

Batteries Need Different Forms of Maintenance

With that said, forklifts that run on electricity still need maintenance, which can be an issue because their batteries will need new forms of maintenance. This means adding water, cleaning the battery terminals, and performing other tasks that interested individuals will have to learn.

Existing Electrical Systems Might Not Be Enough

Forklifts that run on electricity use industrial-grade rechargeable batteries. As a result, they need electrical systems that can accommodate their needs, without which they will be powerless and thus useless. In some cases, businesses might not have electrical systems capable of accommodating such needs, meaning that these forklifts won't be an option for them unless they are willing to spend considerable amounts of time, effort, and money on infrastructure upgrades. For that matter, if they have the necessary electrical systems in some but not all of their spaces, that could result in serious inconvenience if they adopt forklifts that run on electricity.

Got Something to Say?

Of course, different people are bound to have different opinions because of experiences and priorities. If you have something to say, be sure to chime into the conversation by leaving a comment below.