To help prospective customers better see the appreciable cost advantages of owning an AC electric truck over a vehicle based on an IC engine (LPG / Diesel) or DC electric technology, the Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corporation is now making available a free, simple-to-use tool for calculating Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) associated with various kinds of forklifts over a five-year period. Anyone can explore use of this TCO calculator by going to http://www.lift-truck-cost-tool.com.
The tool considers average recent costs for maintenance and batteries, as well as current standard costs for electricity and fuel, by state. Just three simple steps are required by the process to arrive at a cost comparison between truck technologies, and the overall savings to be realized with AC. To use the calculator, you simply gather and key-in information about the following:
- Your operation, including number of trucks in your fleet, effective number of hours they run per shift, number of shifts per day and number of working days per year. For the last item, the tool offers a default figure of 250 hours.
- Purchase price, monthly maintenance cost, battery price and charger price for the Jungheinrich truck you're interested in vs. another technology you're either looking at or already own. If you do not know these costs, the tool provides default values to complete the calculation.
- For DC trucks, the number of batteries necessary per truck, number of charges needed, charger prices, and battery price (default figure available). For IC trucks, the tool asks for fuel cost per bottle or tank, and hours of operation per bottle or tank.
Jungheinrich's calculator will quickly demonstrate the marked cost advantage of owning and operating AC counterbalanced lift trucks. Note, however, that since fuel and electricity costs are subject to change at any time as economic conditions vary, the user is encouraged to verify local and current prices for a more accurate analysis.
In general, Jungheinrich's proprietary AC electric technology offers a user many advantages, including a performance level equal to or better than an IC truck, the ability for use in both indoor and outdoor operation, enclosed motors and controllers for protection from particulate matter, energy reclamation during braking, the potential of up to two shifts work from a single battery charge, absence of toxic or dangerous emissions, and high reliability. Another potential advantage is the availability in certain states (such as
The cost data analysis the Web site tool offers will prove to be invaluable in your comparative shopping program, and can help justify a purchase decision to management. Also available on the website cited above is an easy-to-read but comprehensive white paper that discusses the three leading forklift truck technologies and aspects of Total Cost of Ownership for each, including environmental issues. In addition, the site provides contact information for Jungheinrich dealers in your area.