Forklifts come in many shapes and sizes, which means it can be tough to figure out which one will work best for your needs. Of course, you can probably figure out that a massive forklift capable of picking up and moving pallets that weigh over 7,000 pounds doesn’t belong in your moderately-sized supply yard, but the question remains: Electric or combustion engine? Let’s go over the pros and cons of each.
A combustion engine is a traditional vehicle engine that burns fuel to create tiny explosions that push a piston (or series of pistons), which in turn rotates a crankshaft. This moves a system of gears that ultimately drives the vehicle’s wheels and moves other parts of the machine, including a set of hydraulic pistons that lift and lower the fork.
Forklifts with combustion engines normally use gasoline, diesel fuel, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) in their engines. LPG is a type of natural gas, while CNG is a compressed natural gas that is commonly used in ovens and furnaces. Diesel is a denser type of gas with a higher price point but an estimated 20 percent more fuel efficiency than regular gasoline.
Combustion engine machinery is traditional, and there are plenty of reasons to choose a fuel-burning forklift for your business. Of course, there are some drawbacks to keep in mind as well.
Electric vehicles run on battery packs, which are normally charged via electrical sockets. They can also recharge at specialised charging ports like those designed for road vehicles, so long as the proper voltage is available. The electricity used to power a vehicle battery can come from a variety of sources, including hydroelectric plants and coal-burning plants.
Electric motors work by converting primary electricity into movement, just as a combustion engine converts the force from burning fuel into movement. In this case, the electric current from the battery is run through a magnetic field, which creates a force that spins a wire coil and produces the movement required for anything from a blender to a forklift truck.
The advantages of using an electric forklift over a fuel-burning one are mostly quite obvious, but there are some benefits and drawbacks to using this type of work vehicle that you may not have considered before.
According to the World Industrial Vehicle Statistics Association, 2.34 million forklifts were purchased in 2021, and 1.61 of those were electric. The trend is clearly moving towards the electric option, particularly indoors, where it’s necessary to maintain clean air for staff and other people entering the area.
One of the main concerns when operating an electric forklift is the battery power. Once your battery has drained, it will take several hours to recharge—and during that time, your machine is useless. However, you’ll find that universal battery packs work in many forklifts so that you can simply insert a pre-charged battery into the machine while the drained battery charges.
Moving to electric power in place of fuel-burning engines in your forklifts and other equipment means no emissions and a much lower negative environmental impact. If you live in a region where electric power is supplied by fuel-burning power plants, then this can seem like a fallacy; however, it’s important to remember that this isn’t the case everywhere!
In fact, 60 percent of Canada’s electricity generation comes from hydropower, 5 percent from wind and a fraction of a percent comes from wind. The infrastructure is growing throughout Canada to support more electrical vehicles, and to provide more energy to those vehicles, homes and commercial properties through environmentally sustainably methods. One day, that electric car charging port that seems silly in a fossil-fuel-heavy region won’t need to convert fossil fuel to electricity.
It’s important to think about how a forklift will be used while making a decision about which model is the best for your needs. Forklifts, like other equipment, can underperform or suffer damage if used improperly, so for the sake of longevity and saving money on maintenance and repair costs, follow your machine’s instructions!
Take care not to use your forklift in the wrong environment. There are specially designed electric forklifts that operate better than other models in cold warehouses, as they are better protected against the cold and condensation. Other models, both electric and fuel-powered, are better designed for heavy lifting outdoors in the dirt, mud, sand and weather. You’ll also need to think about the tires on your work vehicle—will they damage the floor of your warehouse, or be unable to grip slippery mud in the yard?
There are two basic types of forklifts available: The electric stacker forklift and the construction forklift. Basically, stacker forklifts are designed to pick up and transport palettes over very short distances indoors, while construction forklifts are designed to handle very heavy palette loads and transport them over longer distances.
To help you make a decision about which forklift you need, we’ve compiled all the information you need to keep in mind. Read through the following checklist and think carefully about each factor—from load weight to the workspace—while shopping for forklifts. Once you’ve purchased your work vehicle (or several) you’ll need to have easy access to fuel, a charging station, off-hours parking and somebody who can perform maintenance and repairs.
The professionals here at Starke Forklift can answer any questions you have about selecting the right machinery for the job. Just get in touch with us online or at our headquarters in Thorold, Ontario, and we’ll help you get the ball rolling!