BATTERY ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS
When it comes to selecting the right type of forklift for your business, it is a decision that requires a careful evaluation of your premises, application & desired outcomes. Whilst you’re evaluating your business requirements for the forklift, you also need to consult your key operators about the job at hand because even the best operators will be unproductive when forced to use the wrong forklift.
To help you through your decision, we’ve outlined some of the major points & questions that have been asked by our customers in regards to battery electric forklifts, as well as identify some of the different types of electric forklifts (except pedestrian & reach forklifts which have already been covered) in the market.
WHY BATTERY ELECTRIC?
In the right application, an electric forklift can be a great investment for the warehouse. There are several advantages gained when choosing an electric forklift and there are some other considerations that also need to be taken into account. Firstly, let’s go through the three major advantages of owning a battery electric forklift.
Running Costs – Overall, electric forklifts are cheaper to run. There are two main components when evaluating these costs; fuel & maintenance. Service & maintenance on an electric forklift (especially when serviced by Koala Trucks) is considerably cheaper than its comparative combustion powered forklift. This is because there are minimal moving parts on an electric forklift which means during regulator maintenance fewer parts are consumed. With regards to fuel, in Australia, the cost of electricity is cheaper than that of LPG / Petrol / Diesel. For example, an LPG cylinder will cost on average $30-$45 plus GST (dependant on your provider) and will last approximately 4hrs of continuous usage. An overnight charge from 3 phase power for your battery electric unit will cost you approximately $5-$10 plus GST (estimated) and will last you about the same time or even longer if you have AC motors.
Environment – There are fewer if any, emissions from an electric forklift. Not only is this good for the environment but also for your workers, especially in an enclosed warehouse. Minimal emissions means that electric forklifts are best suited for applications such as food operations, pharmaceutical but can also be used for general pallet or material movement.
Noise – Compared to combustion powered forklifts, electric powered units are much quieter in operation. This is extremely beneficial when working inside a warehouse which may echo or not handle noise well.
Whilst historically the majority of battery electric forklifts have been designed to work inside or under cover (away from the wet weather), there have been some changes in some manufacturer’s that allows a certain units to operate for short durations in adverse conditions. There are other inherent benefits of battery electric forklifts. These are due to the design and flexibility of the unit. As an example smaller turning circles (which can mean more inventory), extra features are some of these benefits. However with all of these benefits there are some negative sides to a battery electric unit. The biggest downside to a battery powered unit is that the battery requires an 8 hour charge once the battery has depleted or arrange for a double shift battery. If this is not a problem, then contact one of the sales team on (02) 9604 3955 to help find you the right battery electric forklift.
BATTERY ELECTRIC FORKLIFT TYPES
In the forklift market, there are a whole range of battery electric powered forklifts. We have already covered the pedestrian operated walk behind units here and the ride on reach forklifts here . There are two other main styles of battery electric forklifts; counter balance & stock pickers (also known as order pickers). There are many varieties and configurations of each, and as Whilst there are a few more varieties and styles of battery electric forklift, these two are the most common and we’ll go through them below.
COUNTER BALANCE
A counterbalance is a heavy cast iron or steel mass attached to the rear of the forklift truck frame. The purpose of the counterweight is to counterbalance the load being lifted at the front of the forklift. In an electric forklift the large acid or gel battery itself may serve as part of the counterweight. There are two differentiating types of battery electric counter balance forklift; stand on & sit down.
SIT DOWN
Sit down counterbalance forklifts come in two configurations; 3 wheel & 4 wheel. The 4 wheel counterbalance appears like a ‘conventional’ forklift, whist the steer wheel(s) on a 3 wheel counterbalance unit are located in the middle at the rear. This allows the forklift to reduce its turning circle. The lift height can vary from 3m to 7m as well as the lifting capacity. Typically 4 wheel counterbalance units have a heavier lifting capacity than the 3 wheel.
STAND ON
As the name suggests, the operator stands on upon the unit to operate it. The appearance of the forklift is much like ride on reach however the reach mechanism is removed and the forks simply raise & lower without the legs obstructing the forklift.
STOCK / ORDER PICKER
An order picker (or stock picker) truck is a forklift that is configured in such a way that the operator moves up and down along with the load allowing the operator to retrieve/pick items directly from the storage area.
The storage area may be configured in a variety of configurations ranging from a pallet to a furniture platform. There are also other modifications such as safety cages or fixed storage area’s which may slide on and off the forks.
In NSW you require an LO forklift license to operate a stockpicker.
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