Propane vs. Lithium Forklifts: How Much Can Your Business Save by Switching to Lithium?

For decades, propane-powered forklifts have been a popular choice for warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centres and other material-handling operations. They are reliable, familiar and capable of handling demanding applications.

However, advances in lithium-ion technology are changing the economics of forklift ownership.

Today’s HELI lithium-ion forklifts provide the performance businesses expect from traditional internal-combustion forklifts while offering the potential for significantly lower energy and maintenance costs, faster charging, reduced downtime and zero tailpipe emissions.

For businesses operating forklifts for extended hours or multiple shifts, the financial benefits of switching from propane to lithium can be substantial.

As an Authorized HELI Forklift Dealer, NovaLift Equipment can help businesses throughout Toronto, Vaughan, Concord, Mississauga, Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area determine whether converting from propane to lithium makes financial and operational sense.

The Fuel Cost Difference: Propane vs. Lithium

Fuel is one of the largest ongoing expenses associated with operating a propane forklift.

Consider a forklift operating approximately 12 hours per day.

If a propane cylinder costs approximately $40 and provides around 7.5 hours of operation, the forklift could consume approximately 1.6 cylinders during a 12-hour operating day.

That works out to approximately:

Operating Cost	Propane Forklift	Lithium Forklift*
Daily Energy Cost	$64	~$7
Monthly Energy Cost	$1,408	~$160
Annual Energy Cost	$16,640	~$1,895
Potential Annual Energy Savings		~$14,745

Lithium charging costs are estimates and will vary depending on forklift size, battery capacity, application, electricity rates, operating conditions and actual energy consumption.

Under these assumptions, switching just one forklift from propane to lithium could potentially save approximately $14,000 or more annually in energy costs alone.

For a fleet of five forklifts, those potential savings can become significant.

And energy is only part of the equation.

Lower Maintenance Costs

A propane forklift uses an internal-combustion engine and requires ongoing preventative maintenance.

Depending on the truck and application, this can include:

• Engine oil and filter changes
• Spark plugs
• Air filters
• Fuel-system maintenance
• LPG components
• Belts and hoses
• Cooling-system maintenance
• Engine-related repairs and adjustments

A lithium-powered electric forklift eliminates the propane engine entirely.

There are still normal forklift maintenance requirements for components such as brakes, tires, mast assemblies, hydraulics and steering systems, but many of the routine engine-related maintenance items associated with propane forklifts disappear.

Over several thousand operating hours, this can represent another significant operating-cost advantage.

Fast Charging – Full Charge in as Little as 1.5 Hours

One of the major advantages of HELI lithium-ion technology is charging speed.

Depending on the forklift, battery and charger configuration, a HELI lithium battery can achieve a full charge in as little as approximately 1.5 hours.

This makes lithium particularly attractive for high-use and multi-shift applications.

Instead of waiting for a conventional battery to complete a long charging cycle, operators can recharge the forklift during scheduled downtime.

Opportunity Charging Keeps Your Forklift Working

Lithium batteries are well suited to opportunity charging.

This means the forklift can be plugged in during:

• Lunch breaks
• Employee breaks
• Shift changes
• Production downtime
• Other periods when the truck isn’t being used

Even relatively short charging periods can put additional energy back into the battery.

For operations running 10, 12 or 16 hours per day, opportunity charging can be a major advantage because it helps maximize forklift availability without requiring lengthy charging periods.

No Propane Cylinder Changes

Changing propane cylinders takes time.

The operator has to stop working, travel to the cylinder storage area, remove the empty cylinder, install a full cylinder and return to the work area.

Multiply that process across multiple forklifts, multiple shifts and an entire year, and the lost productive time can become significant.

Lithium eliminates propane cylinder changes altogether.

Operators simply connect the forklift to its charger when the truck isn’t required.

This also eliminates the need to continually manage propane cylinder inventory, deliveries and cylinder storage.

Consistent Performance Throughout the Shift

One of the advantages of lithium-ion batteries is their ability to provide consistent voltage and performance throughout much of their discharge cycle.

This can help maintain consistent forklift performance throughout the working day.

For demanding warehouse and manufacturing applications, predictable performance can contribute to improved productivity and operator satisfaction.

Virtually Maintenance-Free Battery Technology

Traditional flooded lead-acid forklift batteries require ongoing maintenance, including watering and periodic inspections.

Lithium-ion batteries eliminate battery watering and many of the routine maintenance procedures associated with flooded lead-acid batteries.

HELI lithium batteries also incorporate a Battery Management System (BMS) designed to monitor important battery operating parameters.

The result is a battery system designed to provide reliable performance with considerably less routine operator involvement.

Zero Tailpipe Emissions

Unlike propane forklifts, lithium-powered forklifts produce zero tailpipe emissions during operation.

This can be particularly beneficial in indoor environments such as:

• Warehouses
• Food distribution facilities
• Manufacturing plants
• Distribution centres
• Retail warehouses
• Indoor loading and production areas

Businesses can reduce their dependence on internal-combustion equipment while maintaining the productivity expected from a modern counterbalance forklift.

Lithium Makes Even More Sense in High-Hour Applications

The economics of lithium become increasingly attractive as forklift utilization increases.

A forklift operating only a few hours per week may not generate the same financial return from converting to lithium.

But a forklift operating 8, 10, 12 or more hours per day consumes considerably more propane and requires more frequent engine maintenance.

That’s where the potential savings associated with lithium can accumulate quickly.

For double-shift operations in particular, the combination of lower energy costs, opportunity charging, reduced maintenance and increased uptime can make lithium an excellent alternative to propane.

Consider the Total Cost of Ownership

When comparing a propane forklift with a lithium forklift, businesses shouldn’t look only at the initial purchase price.

The more meaningful comparison is the total cost of ownership over several years.

Consider:

Purchase price + energy + maintenance + downtime + labour + expected equipment life = true operating cost.

A lithium forklift may have a different upfront cost than a comparable propane forklift, but potential energy and maintenance savings can change the economics considerably over the life of the equipment.

For high-hour applications, the difference can be substantial.

Why HELI Lithium Forklifts?

HELI offers an extensive range of lithium-powered material-handling equipment designed for applications ranging from light warehouse work to demanding industrial operations.

Available HELI lithium solutions include:

• 3-wheel electric forklifts
• 4-wheel electric cushion-tire forklifts
• 4-wheel electric pneumatic-tire forklifts
• Reach trucks
• Pallet trucks
• Stackers
• Order pickers
• Heavy-duty electric forklifts
• Specialized warehouse equipment

This allows businesses to transition more of their material-handling fleet to lithium technology rather than limiting lithium to one particular type of forklift.

NovaLift Equipment – Your Authorized HELI Forklift Dealer

NovaLift Equipment Inc. is an Authorized HELI Forklift Dealer, providing new HELI forklifts, lithium-powered material-handling equipment, parts, service and support.

We work with businesses throughout Toronto, Vaughan, Concord, Mississauga, Brampton and across the Greater Toronto Area to help identify the right forklift for their application.

If you’re currently operating propane forklifts, we can help evaluate your existing equipment, operating hours and fuel consumption to determine the potential financial benefit of switching to HELI lithium technology.

How Much Could Your Operation Save?

If your forklifts are operating 8, 10, 12 or more hours per day, the potential savings may be greater than you think.

At approximately $40 per propane cylinder, a high-use propane forklift can consume thousands of dollars in fuel every year. Add engine maintenance, propane handling and downtime, and the total operating cost continues to increase.

A HELI lithium forklift provides an opportunity to substantially reduce many of those ongoing expenses while benefiting from fast charging, opportunity charging, reduced maintenance and zero tailpipe emissions.

Contact NovaLift Equipment today to discuss your current forklift operation and discover whether switching from propane to HELI lithium could reduce your operating costs.

Cost examples in this article are illustrative estimates only. Actual fuel consumption, battery energy consumption, charging costs, operating hours and savings will vary by forklift model, capacity, application, operator behaviour, electricity rates and other operating conditions.