Diesel Forklifts Versus Electric Forklifts
A forklift can function either by internal combustion (IC) motor or by an electric motor. Electric forklifts are best for indoor application and cost a lot less to use. IC machinery are best for use outdoors and are faster to refuel.
Electric Forklifts
Electric lifts produce no exhaust, which makes them the equipment of choice for indoor applications where air quality is a concern. Electric forklifts are clean and are not noisy. They are 20% to 40% more expensive to purchase than IC lifts, but the per-hour operating cost of electric models is a lot lower. The downside is that batteries require 16 hours to charge and cool down, so the purchase of an extra set of batteries is recommended. Electric lifts are not limited to indoor application, but when utilized outdoors they should be utilized carefully.
Diesel Forklifts
Internal Combustion forklifts are for outdoor applications, and their carrying capacity is higher than electric forklifts. If your fleet generally operates on one kind of fuel, it might be a good idea to buy an IC unit which uses the same type of fuel. They could run on gas, propane or diesel. Diesel is the least expensive. IC forklifts have the advantage of being less expensive to operate and easy to refuel; nevertheless, their per-hour cost to operate is higher. The majority of IC models cannot be used indoors.
Other Types of Forklifts
Within warehouses where there are limited spaces, the narrow aisle electric forklift is most suitable. They are constructed to pick up loads without having to position the lift facing the stacks. Rough terrain diesel forklifts have large tires for running on difficult surfaces.