The four voltage classes
Electric forklift batteries are built around the truck's electrical system, and the industry works in four main classes. 24V batteries run pallet jacks, stackers and small warehouse trucks; the Li-Power 25-series delivers 5.24 to 14.3 kWh. 36V runs stand-up counterbalance trucks, order pickers and narrow-aisle machines; the 38-series delivers 7.8 to 21.5 kWh. 48V is the mainstream counterbalance class; the 51-series runs 200 to 560 Ah. 80V powers heavy trucks and large material handlers; the 80-series reaches 44.8 kWh per pack. The full programme also records 96V and capacities up to 1200 Ah.
Voltage is fixed by the truck — it is never a free choice. Capacity is the real decision: it sets how many working hours one charge delivers and how the truck behaves across a shift.
Lithium versus the lead-acid routine
The differences are about the working day. A lead-acid electric forklift battery needs watering, equalisation charges, cool-down time and a ventilated charging room, and in multi-shift work it needs a spare battery and a changing routine. A lithium iron phosphate battery removes all of that: it is sealed and maintenance-free, charges fast (a 1 to 2 hour full charge on the manufacturer's industrial battery record, with the achieved time depending on pack capacity and charger pairing), accepts opportunity charging in any break, and one battery covers two or even three shifts. Cycle life is 2 to 3 times lead-acid, and the industrial listing states around 40% less energy used during charging.
Sizing in practice
Start from the truck data plate (brand, model, voltage, current Ah rating), then look at the shift pattern. Single-shift sites usually match the existing capacity class; multi-shift sites gain most from lithium because the same nominal capacity delivers more usable hours through opportunity charging. The battery tray is the other fixed point — Torphan packs are built in custom trays with dimensions and weights matched to the battery they replace.
Send the data-plate details through the quote form and the reply will name the exact Li-Power model, the tray, and the charger pairing for your truck.