2025.12.11
In the logistics warehousing and production chain of modern enterprises, the selection of forklifts directly affects operational efficiency, operating costs and compliance risks. Electric forklifts take "green energy conservation" as their core advantage, while diesel forklifts have their place with "strong and durable". There is no absolute superiority or inferiority between the two; the key lies in the precise matching with the needs of enterprises. Only by dissecting the characteristics of the two from multiple dimensions can a scientific purchasing decision be made.
The working environment is a prerequisite for selection and determines the basic applicability of the equipment. Electric forklifts are the inevitable choice for enclosed or clean scenarios such as indoor warehouses, food processing workshops, and pharmaceutical warehouses, making them the ideal indoor forklift and clean environment forklift. It has zero exhaust emissions during operation, which can prevent carbon monoxide and particulate matter in the exhaust of diesel forklifts from polluting the environment, perfectly meeting the hygiene standards of the food and pharmaceutical industries. At the same time, the noise level is below 70 decibels, which can significantly improve the working environment in the workshop and reduce the occupational health risks for employees. In open and complex scenarios such as outdoor construction sites, ports and docks, and mining areas, diesel forklifts are more resilient, serving as a reliable outdoor forklift and rough terrain forklift. They do not rely on charging facilities and have stronger stability in adverse weather conditions like rain, snow, high temperatures, and sandstorms. The combination of pneumatic tires and powerful performance makes their passability on muddy and bumpy roads far superior to that of electric forklifts. If an enterprise is involved in both indoor and outdoor operations, the model of "electric forklifts for main operation + diesel forklifts for emergency positioning" is more efficient.
Cost control should be based on a "full life cycle account" rather than being limited to the unit price of purchases. The purchase cost of diesel forklifts is usually 20% to 30% lower than that of electric forklifts of the same tonnage, which is short-term attractive to enterprises with limited budgets, but the long-term operating cost gap is huge. The electricity cost for electric forklifts is only 3 to 5 yuan per hour, while that for diesel forklifts is as high as 15 to 25 yuan per hour. In terms of maintenance, electric forklifts have no complex components such as engines or gearboxes. Their annual maintenance costs are only one-third of those of diesel forklifts. Moreover, they have shorter downtime due to faults and lower repair costs, embodying the value of a low operating cost forklift. Based on an 8-hour daily operation and 300 days of annual operation, the annual comprehensive cost of an electric forklift is 20,000 to 50,000 yuan lower than that of an diesel forklift. Usually, the purchase price difference can be offset within 3 to 5 years. However, electric forklifts need to be equipped with charging piles, with an initial investment of approximately 10,000 to 30,000 yuan. Small enterprises can choose the battery swapping mode and do not need to build their own charging facilities, thus lowering the entry threshold for adopting an electric warehouse forklift.
Performance adaptation should be "matched on demand" to avoid resource waste or insufficient power. In light-load short-distance scenarios such as e-commerce warehouses and express delivery sorting centers, electric forklifts start smoothly and are precisely controlled. With a minimum turning radius of only about 1.5 meters, they can flexibly move through narrow passages, reducing cargo collision losses, making them an excellent narrow aisle forklift and high efficiency warehouse forklift. Moreover, they maintain stable power output during frequent starts and stops. In heavy-load continuous operation scenarios such as steel mills and building materials markets, the diesel engines of diesel forklifts stand out. They can carry 10 to 50 tons of loads, and their endurance is not limited by battery power, making them a powerful heavy duty forklift and continuous operation forklift. They can resume full-load operation after just 5 minutes of refueling, without the need to stop for 1 to 2 hours of charging like electric forklifts. In addition, electric forklifts have a faster acceleration and braking response, making them suitable for fast-paced sorting operations. diesel forklifts have better climbing capabilities and can still operate stably when the slope exceeds 15°, making them suitable for high and low difference operations in factory areas.
The difficulty of maintenance and site requirements directly affect an enterprise's ability to maintain independently. The maintenance of internal combustion forklifts requires the handling of contaminants such as engine oil and fuel, which must be carried out in professional sites equipped with oil stain collection devices. Moreover, waste engine oil and waste filter elements need to be handed over to qualified institutions for treatment, increasing management costs. Electric forklifts are cleaner to maintain. Apart from replenishing the battery with distilled water (this step is not required for some maintenance-free batteries), no pollutants are produced, positioning it as an easy maintenance forklift. Basic maintenance of forklifts can be completed in a corner of an ordinary workshop.
Policy compliance has become a hard and fast criterion for selection. At present, first-tier cities in China have explicitly restricted the use of diesel forklifts in urban areas and industrial parks. Equipment with excessive exhaust emissions during environmental protection inspections will be ordered to rectify and face the risk of fines or even production suspension. The zero-emission feature of electric forklifts can help enterprises avoid policy risks and also enjoy preferential policies such as tax reduction and exemption and energy-saving subsidies at the national and local levels, solidifying its role as a green compliant forklift and zero emission forklift. Under the "dual carbon" goals, the use of electric forklifts can also reduce the total carbon emissions of enterprises and contribute to brand image building.
Bojun Forklift believes that the core logic for enterprises to purchase forklifts is to precisely match their own needs with the characteristics of the equipment: electric forklifts are preferred for indoor light loads and long-term high-frequency operations, while internal combustion forklifts are preferred for outdoor heavy loads and temporary emergency operations. As long as the core demands such as the working environment, load weight and working hours are clearly sorted out, and combined with policy requirements and cost budgets, the truly suitable forklift equipment can be selected, making it a powerful assistant for improving operational efficiency.
Stay ahead with the latest from BOJUN forklift and loader www.chinabojun.com, or email us info@chinabojun.com ,and welcome to get in touch with you on WhatsApp +86 13953532787
We always adhere to the concept of ”integrity in management and giving back to society.” We focus on fulfilling our corporate social responsibilities, which has allowed us to gain a higher reputation and better standing in the competitive landscape.
Office Hours: Mon-Sun 24 Hours
No.68,Balizhuang Industrial Park,Yantai City,Shandong Province,China.
261400