How to Buy an Electric Forklift
How to Buy an Electric Forklift Source: Carer Electric Forklift Solutions
Vendors of material handling equipment (aka – forklifts) in recent years have seen the growth of electric solutions for their customers that provide many benefits that this article will touch on. However, the solutions that providers present are not all equal. Having a bad steak at one restaurant, would not keep me from ever considering a steak again. Perhaps you looked at an electric solution prior but could not justify it or did not think it would work in your application. Well, it might be time to look again, as maybe things have changed that make it more advantageous, or perhaps the solution presented was flawed, lacked detail, or just simply was not the best solution for you! |  |
4 Important Things to Considered When Buying a Forklift:
The load details, including maximum and average load weights, load dimensions, load center, and required lift height.
This information is imperative for effective equipment selection. A properly made electric forklift has a lower center of gravity and typically a better residual lift capacity to higher lift heights. This means you can often choose an electric forklift with a lower base rated lift capacity vs. an internal combustion equivalent, which can often save you money.
Performing a detailed use (operating hours) analysis
When you convert from internal combustion to electric, on average the operating hours will drop by 35% with the elimination of idle time. This means the electric forklift will last in your application by at least 35% longer. The longer life will affect your acquisition costs and depreciation and, therefore, your ROI. Performing a detailed use analysis is essential when creating a practical solution. This should include shift times, break times, and working days per week, to understand ongoing use requirements as it will affect how the design of the power system is selected.
Application analysis to understand the working environment
When you specify an electric forklift to an application, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is how the forklift will be used. Using a clamp attachment on your forklift increases energy consumption by 40%. The use requirements of each company will differ and so making your sales rep aware of usage details can help ensure they source the right solution for your needs.
Conduct a proper financial analysis(underestimated by many in the industry)
It is crucial to recognize how the increased usable life of electric forklifts will affect your bottom line. An internal combustion forklift's useful life is significantly less than that of its electric counterpart, which means that added capital would be needed for replacing IC forklifts while their electric counterparts would continue to be in operation. This added capital investment needs to be considered when compared with the acquisition price of an electric forklift. When considering an electric forklift, your return on investment should come in under 30 months (about 2 and a half years), with most landing at 18 – 26 months (about 1 and a half to 2 years).
The Carer electric forklift brand in North America remains under-recognized. Their goal was to first invest in people, so they insist on working with salespeople who can use a consultative approach to helping people correctly specify, analyze, and justify an electric forklift for their application. We‘ve aligned with Carer in that our salespeople are focused on the consultative sales approach, and we ask for the opportunity to show you how we work.
The Carer electric forklift range includes 56 different chassis models ranging from 10,000lbs to 66,000lbs lift capacity and our salespeople can help you find the right model for your application.
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