Forklifts are omnipresent in every warehouse that has load moving and transportation as a part of its job description. They come in many shapes and designs, each suited for a specific kind of task. We have basic forklifts for moving small to medium loads, outdoor forklifts that are used to move around shipping containers in shipyards and ports and many more.
The underlying motor that runs forklifts come in either electric or gasoline variants. Electric motors are those that require a charge of battery to operate, whereas gasoline forklifts run on gas. More and more warehouses that operate indoors have been shifting to electric forklifts whereas the bigger forklifts still have gasoline motors and are used for heavy-duty lifting.
The reason for warehouses preferring electric ones are as follows:
Lower Operating Costs: With prices of gas on the rise, many are shifting to electric ones to save on fuel. Not only that, electric forklifts have less complicated motors and moving parts, and don’t have engine oil or coolants, making them inexpensive and easier to maintain and repair.
Convenient Charging: Like electric passenger cars, electric forklifts require charging stations to recharge the battery. It is much easier and safer to build a charging station as compared to designing a fuel storage area.
No Pollution: While warehouses are large buildings, workers work for long hours while getting exposed to air inside the building. Electric forklifts have zero gas emissions, preventing the indoor air from getting polluted.
Noiseless: Electric motors produce no audible noise, hence it keeps noise pollution inside the warehouse or factory to a minimum, although other machines and devices may produce noise.
But no machine exists without a few cons, and the same goes for electric forklifts too:
Limited Load Capacity: Electric forklifts don’t produce as much power as gasoline ones, hence their load-bearing capacity is often limited to 10,000-12,000 lbs. at maximum.
Expensive to Buy: Electric forklifts are more expensive to buy than gasoline-based ones, although the higher cost is nullified by the cheaper maintenance costs.
Special Charging Stations: Electric forklifts are not like the typical electrical appliances that you can simply plug into a wall socket. It requires a high voltage custom-built charging station that draws more power than a normal electric socket. Setting up these stations can cost quite a bit.
Having said all that, electric forklifts are really well-suited for indoor works whereas gasoline forklifts are perfect for heavy-duty lifting and outdoor usages such as in shipyards and ports.
