13 Nov Forklift Guide:
If you are in the market for a new or used forklift, and you are unsure of the type of machine best suited to your business’s needs, then here you’ll find a guide for the types of forklift motors—fuel and electric—and the benefits and drawbacks to each.
Electric Motor vs Gas Powered
Forklifts powered by an electric motor have smooth-sounding, quiet engines. And they are also the most environmentally-friendly type of motor (in operation) and they are also the easiest type of motor to maintain. There are no harmful emissions produced from an electric motor. And electric motors are also ideally suited to short and narrow environment, because they are usually much more compact and much simpler to maneuver in a tight space. For day-to-day use, the electric motor simply requires a once-daily (or nightly) charge of the battery, and the efficiency with which an electric motor is maintained is much simpler than a motor powered by fuel—to compare it with a motor that operates on fuel, there are fewer moving parts in the electric motor.
There are certain drawbacks to the electric motor. For one, the electric motor is going to be more expensive to purchase, on average. And the electric motor is generally going to have less torque, which could be a problem in a workspace with plenty of ramps, etc. And the time required to swap out batteries when needed could be time consuming in the certain situations.
The gas-powered forklift is going to operate at much higher speeds and should have much better acceleration. That extra power and torque helps the forklift get around, especially in a non-traditional workspace where constantly the forklift is required to ascend and descend gradients. And in yards where the forklift is going to have to lift heavy loads and be used outdoors throughout its entire workday, the brute strength of the fuel-powered forklift has certain advantages over the electric.
If you would like to speak to the forklift experts at Anderson Forklift about either a new or refurbished machine, that has either an electric- or fuel-powered motor, then call today.
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