Adaptalift Hyster  is a specialist provider of a comprehensive range of Hyster forklifts as well as customised materials handling solutions for diverse environments.  

Adaptalift Hyster examines the pros and cons of electric forklifts in this article as part of their forklift fuel type series.  

Batteries or fuel cells are used to power electric forklifts by providing power to their DC or AC-type electric motors.  

Electric forklifts are ideal for working indoors or in cold climates involving freezers or cold storage or even food processing.  

Since electric forklifts do not emit fumes, they do not raise the temperature in the area of operation.  

However, electric forklifts are not suitable for outdoor applications where they may be exposed to rain or snow as these weather elements can cause the machine to short-circuit.  

Electric forklifts are generally fitted with cushion tyres making them suitable only for hard surfaces such as concrete.  

Key advantages of electric forklifts:

Environment-friendly, emission-free machines
Suitable for small spaces and indoor environments
Longer life span compared to other types of forklifts
Cheaper fuel consumption over gas/diesel alternatives
Lower noise level helps with better communication amongst workers
Greater manoeuvrability
Low centre of gravity facilitates more stability at greater lift heights
Simple and user-friendly controls
Mechanically simple with no transmission or torque converter

Key disadvantages of electric forklifts:  

8-hour battery charging period followed by another 8 hours of cooling before re-use
Expensive extra batteries are required to minimise downtime caused by battery charging
Takes 10 - 45 minutes to swap over a battery
Well-ventilated, dry and temperature-controlled battery charging station space measuring at least 200m² is required
Not appropriate for outdoor use, especially in wet weather

Electric forklift batteries last for roughly five years if maintained properly. Batteries are expensive to replace and battery chargers use 3-phase power, which may not be available in many buildings.