EnerSys® has launched the material handling industry’s first online calculator that allows customers to compare monthly costs of liquid propane fuel vs. electricity, using leased lift trucks, batteries and chargers. In as little as five minutes, customers can get an accurate picture of the cost of converting lift truck fleets to electric power.
“We’re busting the myth that electric lift trucks cost more upfront due to the cost of the battery and charger,” says Mark Tomaszewski, manager, emerging technologies, EnerSys. “The reality is, customers can lease batteries and chargers, paying for them as a monthly expense just as they would pay for propane fuel. When the battery and charger are leased, the savings begin from day one.”
Other online calculators have fixed fields that assume up-front capital costs for the electric lift truck, battery and charger. But, that does not present a true cost picture if customers want to lease. The EnerSys® Convert to ElectricSM (C2ESM) calculator is the first readily available tool that incorporates the cost of leasing the lift trucks, batteries and chargers.
The calculator allows customers to factor in options specific to their operations, such as number of trucks, hours of use, truck capacity, equipment type, fuel type, term of lease and interest rate. Customers operating in all conditions — heavy loads, multiple shifts, indoors or outdoors, longer shifts — can enter their options in the fields provided.
Slider bars on each field enable customers to adjust for changing conditions, such as the recent surge in propane prices. The calculator allows customers to lock in prices for the lease term, so they can see stable monthly costs for batteries and chargers compared with propane’s potential ups and downs.
After entering all the information, customers get an initial cost picture and cost comparison of propane to electric. They can then contact their lift truck dealer or EnerSys for a more detailed assessment. “With this tool, we’re helping customers be more informed about their choices, so they can have more knowledge and control over the decision-making process,” says Tomaszewski. “In five minutes, they can receive a financial snapshot that helps them prepare for the next steps in the purchasing or leasing process.”
