When purchasing forklifts in bulk, companies often trade off between electric and internal combustion models. One of the core concerns is the total investment difference in the whole cycle. From procurement decisions to long-term operation, the cost difference between the two types of models runs through multiple links and needs to be sorted out and compared one by one.
Initial investment differences during the acquisition phase
In the case of bulk procurement, there is a significant gap between the initial purchase cost of electric and internal combustion forklifts. The purchase price of a single internal combustion forklift is usually lower. For enterprises with limited budgets, the cost of a single unit can be further reduced during bulk procurement, and the short-term capital investment pressure is less. However, due to the core components such as batteries and motors, the purchase cost of a single unit is generally higher than that of internal combustion models. Even if the bulk purchase is discounted, the overall initial investment will still be at a high level. However, the procurement subsidies for new energy equipment in some regions can narrow this gap to a certain extent.
The long-term investment difference between operation and maintenance and energy consumption
In addition to the initial purchase, long-term operation and maintenance and energy consumption costs are an important part of the total investment. Internal combustion forklifts have many operation and maintenance links. When used in batches, oil, fuel filter elements, spark plugs and other components need to be replaced regularly. The daily maintenance and failure repair frequency of the engine is also relatively high, and the accumulated operation and maintenance costs cannot be ignored. In terms of energy consumption, internal combustion forklifts rely on fuel, and fluctuations in oil prices will directly affect long-term use costs. When operating in batches, the total daily fuel consumption is large, and the cost expenditure is continuous and stable.
The operation and maintenance of electric forklifts is relatively simple, mainly focusing on the maintenance of the battery and the routine inspection of the motor. There is no need to replace various consumable parts frequently, and the cost of manpower and materials for batch operation and maintenance is lower. In terms of energy consumption, electric forklifts are driven by electricity, and the stability of electricity prices is better than that of fuel, and the energy consumption cost per unit of operation is much lower than that of fuel. After long-term batch use, this part of the cost gap will gradually become apparent.
Subsequent input replenishment for residual value recovery
The calculation of the total investment also needs to consider the residual value recovery when the vehicle is scrapped. The core component of an internal combustion forklift is the engine. As the service life increases, the engine ages faster, and the residual value of the whole vehicle will decrease rapidly, especially in the high-intensity scenario of batch use, the residual value recovery value is relatively limited. The core loss component of an electric forklift is the battery. When the battery life expires, the motor, frame and other components of the whole vehicle still have a certain use value. If the battery can be used in steps, the overall residual value can be further improved and the total investment sunk cost can be reduced.
Overall, when purchasing forklifts in bulk, the initial investment of internal combustion models is lower, but the long-term operation and maintenance and energy consumption costs are higher; the initial investment of electric models is higher, but it can save more costs in long-term operation. Enterprises need to combine their own operating scenarios, frequency of use, budget cycle and other factors to rationally evaluate the total investment of the two types of models throughout the cycle and make purchasing decisions that better meet their needs.
