5 Reasons to Consider A Lithium Ion Battery for Your Lift Truck
Lithium ion batteries are already powering our phone, laptops, tablets – why not use them to power your forklift? These batteries offer several advantages over the typical lead acid battery most trucks are operating with today.
Higher Life Cycles
A higher life cycle equals reduced system life costs and increased productivity. Users can expect to see approximately 4 times higher life cycles than traditional lead acid batteries. Lead acid systems lose power and operating efficiency over their short life cycle, leading to increased operating cost and decreased performance.
Higher Useable Capacity
Spend more time operating and less time charging with longer operational run times. With lithium batteries there is no need for mid-day battery swaps. Lithium batteries will power your lift truck all day with little to no opportunity charging needed.
Faster & More Efficient Charging
Some lead acid battery lives will degrade by 50% if they are undergoing opportunity charging at least twice a day (or a higher percentage if they are undergoing opportunity charging more than twice a day). Advanced chemistry within lithium batteries allows for recharge in as little as one hour with no degradation. The regenerative power captures up to 80% more regenerative energy than lead acid systems avoiding energy waste and providing longer run times with less frequent charging.
Compact size
The higher energy by volume and energy densities reduces size and weight. These compact batteries are electronically monitored and equalized never requiring watering or cleaning.
Reduced Environmental Impact
Lithium batteries are 30% more energy efficient by not emitting fumes or CO2 into the air during charges. Lithium ion batteries are non-toxic, non-contaminating, and contain no rare metals. The higher discharge/charge efficiency reduced energy usage. Additionally, you don’t need to worry about the risk of acid spills.
What does the switch from lead acid to lithium mean for your operation? In summary, it means reduced time, energy savings, cost savings, and increased productivity. These batteries come with a slightly higher price tag compared to lead acid, but the benefits mentioned outweigh the individual cell cost. If you’re ready to make the switch or want more information, our team has the tools to assist you. Contact a product expert today.