In indoor scenarios such as warehousing logistics and manufacturing workshops, electric forklifts have become the equipment of choice. The core reason lies in their ability to systematically address the pain points of traditional internal combustion forklifts while meeting the diverse needs of modern industries for efficiency, environmental protection, and safety. The following analyzes the necessity of electric forklifts from three aspects: technical characteristics, application value, and industry trends:
Powered by lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries, electric forklifts emit zero exhaust during operation, avoiding product contamination in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and electronics caused by nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emitted by internal combustion forklifts. For example, in electronics workshops, where cleanliness needs to be controlled within ISO Class 8 (≤293,000 dust particles ≥0.5μm per cubic meter), the oil-free and exhaust-free characteristics of electric forklifts serve as an entry threshold.
Under the "Double Carbon" goals, many regions restrict the use of internal combustion forklifts in urban areas and indoor spaces. The EU's Stage V emission standards further tighten the emission limits for forklifts, making electrification a mandatory option for compliance.
With an indoor operation noise limit of ≤75 dB(A), electric forklifts, equipped with silent pump valves (reducing noise by 15%) and motor sound insulation covers, have an actual operating noise of only 65-70 dB, significantly lower than the 85-90 dB of internal combustion forklifts. This feature is particularly crucial in noise-sensitive scenarios such as supermarket retail and precision instrument manufacturing, reducing employee fatigue and enhancing work efficiency.
The electro-proportional valve control technology enables stepless adjustment of lifting/lowering speeds (minimum precision 1 mm/s), making electric forklifts suitable for handling fragile goods like precision instruments and glass products and preventing damage caused by the impactful start-stop of traditional hydraulic systems. For instance, reach trucks equipped with laser navigation systems can achieve positioning accuracy of ±10 mm. Combined with the Warehouse Management System (WMS), they automatically match storage locations, increasing the single-shift inbound and outbound efficiency by 40% compared to internal combustion forklifts. AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) forklifts can even achieve 24/7 unmanned operation.
Thanks to their compact design (e.g., electric stackers with a width ≤0.8 m) and flexible steering (four-way reach trucks can move horizontally), electric forklifts can navigate through ultra-narrow aisles (≥1.8 m) and dense shelves, improving space utilization by 30% compared to internal combustion forklifts. This advantage is particularly critical in e-commerce warehousing centers where space is at a premium, effectively increasing shelf density and warehouse volume utilization.
With a simple structure and no complex mechanical components such as engines and transmissions, electric forklifts only require regular battery maintenance (lithium-ion batteries do not need water addition; lead-acid batteries need distilled water replenishment every 10 cycles) and hydraulic system cleaning. The maintenance time is 60% less than that of internal combustion forklifts. Taking a 2-ton forklift as an example, the average annual maintenance cost is about 5,000 yuan, only one-third of that of internal combustion forklifts (15,000 yuan).
In indoor continuous operation scenarios, lithium-ion battery forklifts consume about 2 kWh of electricity per hour, costing 15 yuan (calculated at an industrial electricity price of 0.75 yuan/kWh), while internal combustion forklifts consume 6 liters of diesel per hour, costing 50 yuan. The energy consumption cost of electric forklifts is only one-third of that of internal combustion forklifts. When combined with off-peak electricity charging (reducing costs by another 40%) and energy recovery technology (extending battery life by 10%-15%), the economic benefits become even more prominent.
- Hardware Protection: Full-surround overhead guards (impact resistance ≥5000 N), automatic fork locking mechanisms (response time <0.2 s), etc., comply with ISO 6055 safety standards, effectively preventing cargo falls and equipment overturning.
- Intelligent Warning: 360° ultrasonic anti-collision radars (accuracy ±5 cm) automatically slow down to 1.5 km/h when detecting people. Blue light warning lamps project a 2-meter safety zone. Combined with rearview cameras, they eliminate blind spots, reducing the accident rate by 70% compared to internal combustion forklifts.
In response to indoor floor load requirements (e.g., epoxy floors with a bearing capacity ≤2 MPa) and height limit requirements (leaving a 50-cm safety margin for the mast), electric forklifts avoid floor damage and top collision risks through lightweight design (aluminum alloy frames reduce weight by 30%) and infrared height limit sensors. They are especially suitable for complex environments such as automotive manufacturing workshops and multi-temperature zone warehouses in supermarkets.
Electric forklifts are transforming from single-purpose handling tools into core nodes of logistics systems. For example:
- AGV forklifts use laser SLAM navigation for autonomous path planning, seamlessly integrating with the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to complete "goods-to-person" picking, driving the transformation of e-commerce warehousing towards unmanned operation.
- AR remote maintenance technology automatically diagnoses faults and pushes repair solutions, reducing fault handling time by 60% and minimizing downtime losses.
The popularization of lithium-ion batteries (with an energy density three times that of lead-acid batteries and a lifespan of over 2,000 cycles) and solid-state batteries (suitable for -30℃ low-temperature environments) has addressed issues related to battery life and environmental adaptability. Hydrogen fuel cell forklifts (with an 8-10-hour battery life and 3-minute hydrogen refueling) are being piloted in high-load scenarios, further expanding the application boundaries of electric forklifts. These technological innovations have made electric forklifts the core carrier of electrification for industrial vehicles under the "Double Carbon" goals.
From meeting the rigid requirements of environmental compliance to comprehensively optimizing efficiency, cost, and safety, electric forklifts not only address the pain points of internal combustion forklifts, such as pollution, noise, and high maintenance costs, but also, through intelligent and lightweight technologies, have become key tools for enhancing the core competitiveness of warehousing logistics. Driven by policies, technological advancements, and scenario adaptation, their popularity has shifted from an "optional solution" to a "mandatory configuration." Especially in indoor scenarios with extremely high requirements for the environment, precision, and safety, electric forklifts are reshaping the future landscape of industrial handling.
