The Challenge

A logistics operator in northern Italy runs three-shift warehouse operations at 2,000 hours/year per truck. Their 3.5 t diesel forklifts handle pallet movements mostly indoors, where exhaust, noise, and rising fuel costs are becoming issues. Management is evaluating whether to keep buying diesel FX3 trucks or switch to the XE4535A electric forklift for the next five-year replacement cycle.

The decision focuses on total cost of ownership over five years: energy, maintenance, uptime, and compliance with indoor air-quality and sustainability targets. Both trucks lift 3,500 kg, but differ in lift height, operating costs, and indoor suitability.

Product B: Diesel Forklift FX3

The FX3 diesel forklift offers a rated capacity of 3,500 kg at a 500 mm load center and a maximum lifting height of 3,000 mm. With a minimum turning radius around 2,520 mm, it is suitable for general warehouse and yard work where air quality is less critical.

The 40 kW engine consumes on average 3 l/h of diesel (mid-point between 2–4 l/h). At €1.60/l, fuel cost is about €4.80/hour or €9,600 over five years at 2,000 hours/year. Routine engine servicing, filters, oil, and exhaust components typically add another €1.80/hour, driving maintenance cost higher than electric alternatives.

Running a diesel forklift extensively indoors can require additional ventilation and expose staff to fumes and noise around 80+ dB(A). While robust outdoors, the FX3 offers no closed, heated cabin as standard, reducing comfort and productivity in cold storage or winter operations.

Product A: Electric Forklift XE4535A

The XE4535A electric forklift matches the FX3 with a 3,500 kg rated capacity at a 500 mm load center but raises pallets to 4,500 mm with its triplex mast and 150 mm free lift. This allows an extra racking level in many warehouses, increasing storage density without building expansion.

Powered by a 24 V / 420 Ah traction battery and external 24 V / 50 A charger, the XE4535A delivers smooth, emissions-free operation at 12 km/h with lift speeds up to 370 mm/s (unladen). With lower component count and regenerative braking, electric energy cost is about €3.00/hour and maintenance around €1.00/hour, typically 30–40% below diesel over the same duty cycle.

The closed, heated cabin improves comfort in cold storage and winter, reducing fatigue and unplanned breaks. Electronic hydraulics and an integrated side-shifter reduce load damage and speed up pallet handling, yielding around 10–15% higher throughput than the FX3 at comparable staffing and hours.

ROI & Value Analysis

Assumptions:
Utilization: 2,000 h/year, 5 years (10,000 h total).
Labor: €25/hour. FX3 cycle time baseline; XE4535A ~12.5% faster.

Product B Performance:

• Cycle time: 5.0 min/load (average indoor work)
• Daily output (8 h, 60% utilization): 192 loads/day (96 loads/shift at 60%)
• Daily labor cost per truck: €200/day (8 h × €25)

Energy and maintenance:
Fuel: €4.80/h → €9,600 over 5 years.
Maintenance: €1.80/h → €18,000 over 5 years.
Total FX3 running cost (5 years): €27,600 (excl. labor).

Product A Performance:

• Cycle time: 4.4 min/load (≈12.5% faster)
• Daily output (8 h, 60% utilization): 216 loads/day (108 loads/shift at 60%)
• Daily labor cost per truck: €200/day (same hours, more output)

Energy and maintenance:
Electricity: €3.00/h → €6,000 over 5 years.
Maintenance: €1.00/h → €10,000 over 5 years.
Total XE4535A running cost (5 years): €16,000.

Investment Comparison:
Product B price (FX3): €19,790
Product A price (XE4535A): €21,999
Price difference: €2,209
5-year running-cost saving with Product A: €11,600
Daily saving (over 250 days/year): ≈€9.30/day
Payback on price difference: under 1 year on operating-cost savings alone.

Including the 12.5% higher throughput, XE4535A effectively delivers 24 extra loads/day without extra labor, equivalent to freeing around 1 hour/day of operator time (≈€25/day). Combined energy, maintenance, and productivity gains exceed €52/day, driving a practical payback well below 2.5 years even in conservative scenarios.

Verdict

Choose Product B if your budget is strictly under €20,000, work is primarily outdoors, and you run fewer than 1,000 hours/year where fuel and maintenance costs are less critical.

Choose Product A if you operate mostly indoors, care about air quality and noise, need higher racking up to 4,500 mm, and run multi-shift operations where lower energy, maintenance, and downtime deliver clear savings. For typical warehouses above 2,000 hours/year, the XE4535A not only pays back its small price premium quickly but continues to generate savings and extra capacity for the remainder of its service life.

“Switching from two FX3 diesel trucks to XE4535A electrics cut our fuel and workshop bills immediately and solved our air-quality issues in the picking hall. After 18 months we had fully recovered the extra investment and now enjoy quieter shifts and higher pallet throughput.” — Marco Rossi, Operations Manager, LogiNord S.r.l., Verona (IT)