Is electric forklift the trend of the times? The answer to this question is gradually becoming clear with the global energy transition, upgrading of environmental policies, and technological innovation. From the perspective of power selection in the industrial sector, the rise of
has become an undeniable industry trend, but their relationship with traditional diesel forklifts is not simply one of "replacement," but a structural transformation based on scenario-specific needs. The underlying logic of this trend is analyzed below from three dimensions: policy, technology, and market:
Globally, the goal of "carbon neutrality" is reshaping the power rules for industrial equipment. The EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) requires companies to disclose carbon emission data in their supply chains, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has introduced a roadmap for upgrading forklift emission standards, and China's "dual-carbon" policy explicitly states that key industries must reach their carbon emission peaks by 2030. These policies directly drive:
- Phase-out of high-emission equipment: For example, Hangzhou offers subsidies for phasing out National II and below diesel forklifts, while Shenzhen has designated "forklift electrification demonstration zones" requiring 100% new energy forklifts in specific areas;
- Access thresholds for new projects: Some industrial parks and logistics hubs have made "electrification rates" a mandatory indicator in bidding. For instance, a multinational retail enterprise requires its Chinese warehousing centers to have an electric forklift ratio of no less than 70% by 2025.
The essence of the trend: Policies are shifting from "encouragement and guidance" to "mandatory compliance," making electric forklifts a "ticket" for companies to meet ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) requirements.
In the past, electric forklifts were seen as a "compromise solution" due to pain points such as short battery life, weak power, and inconvenient charging. However, iterations in lithium battery technology and motor control technology are breaking these limitations:
- The maximum lifting capacity of lithium forklifts has exceeded 16 tons (e.g., heavy-duty electric forklifts from certain brands), meeting the medium-to-heavy load scenarios of traditional diesel forklifts (such as port container handling);
- AC motor technology has increased the acceleration performance of electric forklifts by 30%, with a climbing capacity of over 15%, approaching that of diesel models in the same class.
- Fast-charging technology achieves "1 hour of charging, 8 hours of operation," and some models support battery swapping (completing battery replacement in 3 minutes), addressing the pain point of continuous operation;
- Intelligent energy management systems (such as regenerative braking for power recovery) reduce energy consumption by 20%-30%. The hourly operating cost of a 3-ton lithium forklift is only 1/5 that of a diesel vehicle (approximately 6 RMB for electricity vs. 28 RMB for diesel, source: industry tests).
- Initial purchase cost: The unit price of electric forklifts is still higher than that of diesel vehicles in the same class (about 10%-30% higher), but government subsidies (e.g., China's new energy forklift purchase subsidies of up to 20% of the vehicle price) and tax incentives (e.g., U.S. federal investment tax credits) can offset part of the price difference;
- Long-term ownership cost: Maintenance items for electric forklifts are reduced by 50% (no engine or transmission maintenance), and battery life generally reaches 5-8 years (over 3,000 charge-discharge cycles). Comprehensive calculations show that the total cost over 5 years is 15%-25% lower than that of diesel vehicles.
The essence of the trend: Technological advancements have transformed electric forklifts from "alternative options" to "efficiency-first solutions." Electrification has become the mainstream choice, particularly in scenarios sensitive to cleanliness and noise, such as indoor warehousing, food and medicine, and electronics manufacturing.
