The electric forklifts are becoming increasingly popular, and rightfully so. With low running costs, high productivity, quiet operation, and emission-free operation, it’s no wonder they’re seen as an attractive alternative to the traditional, internal combustion forklift.

Check out the benefits of electric forklifts below.

Lower Fuel Costs

One of the key benefits of electric forklifts is that they don’t require gas or petrol like some other models, making them significantly cheaper to run.

All you’ll need to worry about are battery recharging costs, which are less than LPG or diesel fuel costs.This can save you thousands of dollars each year, freeing up funds for other opportunities.

Lower Operating Emissions

Environmental impact is top-of-mind these days and electric forklifts are great in this regard.The reason being that they don’t release as much harmful emissions and pollution like gas or petrol-based models.

This is also beneficial when it comes to employee health, as air quality will improve, meaning you won’t need to install expensive air ventilation equipment in your warehouse or factory.

Quiet To Run

Heavy-vehicles and machines operating in one location can create a lot of noise, which is why electric forklifts are particularly advantageous. These models run quietly at all times and produce a fraction of the sound that you might expect from traditional alternatives.

As a result, your site will be less demanding to work in and also a lot safer. Why? Because workers will be able to hear what’s coming behind them at all times.

Low Maintenance Costs

Expect lower maintenance fees as you won’t need to pay for regular engine tune-ups or the refilling of transmission oil and motor fluid. This is welcoming news that will help you to save money across the board and will leave you less dependent on fleet maintenance.

Electric forklifts also have a reduced risk of major component failure resulting from someone forgetting to check the engine, transmission, or radiator fluid levels, as these aren’t a part of their design.

No Wasted Oils/Fuels from Engine

You won’t have to deal with oil or fluid waste leaking onto your warehouse floors. This can be costly to clean and at the same time create safety hazards for your team and anyone that visits the site. Similarly, there won’t be any filters to dispose of from the engine, radiator, or transmission.

Higher Productivity

Electric forklift drivers don’t need to come to a complete stop during a change in direction, as the technology used allows for shifting on the go. Combined with faster acceleration times (because there is no lag time in delivering power to the wheels), this means you can boost operator productivity and get more stock in or out of your warehouse.

Anyone working with an electric forklift can also use fewer foot movements to complete a direction change or to slow movement. These factors all contribute to greater output potential.

Smaller Turning Circle

Given the typically smaller chassis length of electric forklifts, they can operate with improved driver clearance when turning and navigating through a busy site. Depending on the number of aisles in the facility, this can lead to better storage capacity as aisles can be reduced in size depending on the truck types and the materials being moved.

At the least, this smaller chassis length can reduce the chance of products being damaged due to staff working in confined areas with little room to move.

Safety Benefits

Worksite safety can be improved due to the fact that electric forklifts do not have a gas or fuel tank, meaning drivers have a greater vision of what is around them.
Vision from behind is key to worker safety in factory settings and something that is particularly important. Operators not having to manually handle gas bottles when connecting or refueling them also improves safety as it removes the potential for them to injure themselves when lifting heavy full bottles.

Battery electric forklifts also remove the risk of the gas bottle being dropped, breaking and letting out dangerous gases potentially damaging stock or injuring staff in the vicinity.