Finding the Best Forklift Fuel Type for Your Workspace

There are several factors to consider when choosing a forklift for your workspace - size, strength, cost, agility, and versatility. It’s also important to choose a forklift that uses a fuel source appropriate for the space where it will be used. 

Indoor / Warehouse 

For a warehouse setting, or any other workspace with workers indoors, you need a quiet forklift that uses a fuel that won’t make the air unsafe or unpleasant to breathe. 

Electric battery-powered forklifts are clean, compact and agile. They also create less noise that can echo through a building and annoy workers. One minor drawback is that their batteries take many hours to recharge. To avoid downtime, many forklift owners buy extra batteries that can be charged while the forklifts are in operation. Ring Power has forklift options that offer a 2-shift, 1-charge guarantee—keeping your forklift running twice as long as the competition. Ring Power has forklift options that offer a 2-shift, 1-charge gurantee-- keeping your forklift running twice as long as the competition.  The batteries tend to be heavy, but they act as a strong stabilizing center of gravity, making these forklifts very stable. Over recent years, electric forklifts have become the best-selling kind, despite them being generally unsuitable for outdoors.

Outdoor 

Outdoor forklifts have to be tough enough to withstand inclement weather such as rain. They also may need to be able to handle uneven ground and mud. 

Diesel forklifts are strong and work on various terrains. They can handle a lot of accessories, including hydraulics. On the downside, they emit a lot of noise and toxic fumes, making them unsuitable for indoor workspaces.

Gasoline forklifts are similar to diesel but generally perform better in terms of speed, power and emissions. They aren’t common, however, because gasoline fueling stations are costly to set up and maintain. They’re best used in situations with a gasoline fueling station already on site or nearby.

Indoor / Outdoor 

Many workplaces need a forklift that can be used in indoor and outdoor settings, such as moving cargo into a warehouse from a tractor-trailer outside. 

LP Gas / Propane strikes a middle ground between electric and diesel. They’re much quieter and less noxious than diesel, and they’re better in rain and rough terrain than electric. This makes them versatile enough for both indoor and outdoor use.  

CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) forklifts are similar to LP forklifts, with a few differences. They burn cleaner - their fuel tanks stay attached, so workers don’t have to lug them around. One disadvantage is that CNG fueling stations are large and expensive to set up and maintain, and require special permitting.

If you’re interested in forklift sales or rentals, come and talk to us at Ring Power Lift Trucks. For 60 years, our locally-owned and operated business has provided superior products and the newest technology in forklifts, exceeding our customers’ expectations. With 14 convenient locations throughout Florida, Ring Power Corporation has become one of the largest Caterpillar® dealers in the Southeastern United States because of our dedication to customer service. Whether you need to buy a new or used forklift, or you’d prefer a short-term or long-term forklift rental, we’re here for you. We also supply forklift parts and service in north and central Florida for every make and model of forklift.  Call 877.544.5438 or visit our website for more information.