Do you know why electric forklifts are more popular in Europe and America?

The reasons why electric forklift trucks are more popular in the European and American markets can be attributed to the following various factors:
1. Strict environmental policies and regulations – Carbon emission restrictions: Europe and the United States generally implement strict environmental regulations (such as the EU’s ‘Green Deal’, California’s ‘Clean Air Act’), there are clear restrictions on corporate carbon emissions and pollution emissions. The zero-emission feature of electric forklift meets the environmental requirements and becomes the first choice for compliance. – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): European and American enterprises pay more attention to the image of environmental protection, the use of electric forklift can reduce carbon footprint, fit the sustainable development goals, and enhance brand credibility.
2. Economy and Long-term Cost Advantages – Lower Operating Costs: The energy cost of electric forklift is only 1/3~1/2 of that of fuel forklift (electricity vs. diesel/petrol), and the maintenance cost is much lower (no need to change the oil, air filter and other parts). – Total Life Cycle Cost (TCO): Despite the higher initial purchase price, the low O&M cost and long lifespan of electric forklift trucks (the range of Li-ion batteries will increase as the technology matures) make them more economical in the long run.
3. Mature technology and market supply – Perfect local industrial chain: Europe and the United States have mature electric forklift manufacturers (e.g., Linde of Germany, Clark of the U.S., STIHL of Sweden, etc.), with deep accumulation of technology and high product reliability. – Lithium battery technology breakthroughs: In recent years, lithium battery energy density has been improved and charging time has been shortened (partially supporting fast charging), which has solved the pain point of range and efficiency and promoted the popularity of electric forklift trucks.
4. Application Scenario Adaptation – Indoor Operation Dominance: Europe and the United States warehousing, logistics industry is highly developed, and a large number of operations are completed indoors. Electric forklift has no exhaust emission, low noise, suitable for closed environment, and complies with occupational health and safety standards (such as OSHA specifications). – Light weight and precise operation: electric forklift trucks perform better in high value-added industries such as cold chain, medicine and food, avoiding the risk of pollution that may be brought by fuel forklift trucks.
5. Policy support and incentives – Subsidies and tax incentives: Many countries in Europe and the United States encourage enterprises to purchase new energy equipment through subsidies, tax breaks or loan preferences. For example, the EU Green Recovery Programme provides financial support for clean energy equipment. – Carbon Emission Trading System: Enterprises using high carbon emission equipment need to purchase carbon allowances, and electric forklift trucks can help them reduce compliance costs.
6. Social awareness of environmental protection and market demand – Consumer preference: end consumers in Europe and the United States have strict requirements for environmental protection, and enterprises are more inclined to choose green logistics equipment to meet the demand for supply chain transparency. – Developed leasing market: The flexible leasing mode of electric forklift reduces the threshold of SMEs, further promoting market penetration. Comparison of differences in other regions – China market: Although the growth rate of electric forklifts is fast, fuel forklifts still dominate (especially in the low-end market) due to high cost sensitivity and lower emission requirements in some scenarios. – Emerging markets: Southeast Asia and India are still dominated by fuel forklifts due to high electricity prices and lax environmental policies.