The rise of electric forklifts can be attributed to many different factors - the intensification of environmental problems, the rise of fuel prices and the improvement of employee welfare awareness. Advances in battery technology, such as the further development of lithium ion and (at present) hydrogen fuel cells, have also led to greater interest in electric forklifts.
Of course, environmental issues have been on the agenda of enterprises for many years, but the recent discussion on the introduction of "carbon emission tax" has also seen a sharp increase in forklift users, in which similar carbon emissions are compared as part of their forklift fleet procurement process. Internal combustion forklifts are rarely among the best in such tests, considering that electric forklifts have always been considered to have an advantage over internal combustion forklifts on all "green" issues.
However, the conclusion that the growth of electric forklift market is only due to the decline of diesel sales is wrong: the latest development of technology means that electric forklift is now a highly complex product that can provide real commercial benefits to the widest range of users. In addition, today's battery powered forklifts can operate efficiently in harsh environments that used to be suitable only for diesel forklifts.
Perhaps the biggest technological progress behind the surge in sales of electric forklifts is the arrival of lithium-ion batteries. Although lead-acid is still the leading battery type in the electric forklift market, the sales volume of lithium-ion forklift has continued to rise for some time.
Although it is estimated that lead-acid batteries are still used in all electric forklifts operating in 90% of the world, lithium-ion solutions are now a viable alternative. In fact, nearly a quarter of all Toyota electric forklifts ordered in the UK now use lithium ion battery (LIB) technology.
Hydrogen fuel cells are also becoming another viable alternative to lead-acid batteries. At present, due to the large investment required for hydrogen production and storage system, hydrogen becomes financially feasible only in the area where more than 90 forklifts operate in one place. Therefore, the potential user market is limited to a certain extent.
Of course, like any new development, the price will drop when the product matures, and there is every reason to believe that every enterprise with a forklift fleet can use hydrogen fuel cells in the near future. Although the world is eager to eliminate (or at least minimize) the use of fossil fuels and the countless benefits that electric forklifts provide users in terms of operating costs, productivity and pollution reduction, we are unlikely to witness the last day of diesel powered forklifts.
At present, there are still many applications, especially in the case of overweight lifting and forklift capacity of 8 tons and above, diesel forklift is still the best choice.
