An industrial truck is a wheeled vehicle with at least three wheels, powered or non-powered, designed to carry, tow, push, lift, stack, or tier loads—excluding those running on rails. These trucks are used for material transport within factories, warehouses, and distribution centers.
Types of Industrial Trucks
Industrial trucks are broadly classified as hand trucks or power trucks. Powered industrial trucks (PITs) are further divided into seven classes:
Class Type Examples
Class I Electric motor rider trucks Sit-down and stand-up counterbalance forklifts
Class II Electric motor narrow aisle trucks Reach trucks, turret trucks, order pickers
Class III Electric motor hand/rider trucks Powered pallet jacks, walkie stackers
Class IV IC trucks with cushion tires Propane or gas forklifts with solid tires
Class V IC trucks with pneumatic tires Diesel, gas, or propane forklifts with air-filled tires
Class VI Tow tractors Tugger vehicles for pulling carts and trailers
Class VII Rough terrain forklift trucks Telehandlers for construction and uneven ground
Major Brands
Leading industrial truck manufacturers include Toyota Industries (the global market leader), KION Group (brands: Linde, STILL, Baoli), Jungheinrich AG, Crown Equipment, Hyster-Yale, CLARK, Mitsubishi Logisnext, Caterpillar Inc. , Doosan, Komatsu, and Anhui Heli Co. Ltd. .
How Much Does an Industrial Truck Cost?
Prices vary widely by type and specifications:
1–2 ton electric counterbalanced forklift: $8,000 – $18,000
2–4 ton mid-range electric forklift: $15,000 – $30,000
4+ ton heavy-duty electric forklift: $30,000 – $55,000+
New 3-ton forklift: $9,000 – $48,000+
5,000-lb IC/LPG Toyota forklift: $43,950 – $47,850
Cat diesel forklift (2.0–3.5 tons): From €30,100
Used forklifts: Typically $6,000 – $16,000
How Much Does an Industrial Truck Weigh?
Weight depends on load capacity and power source:
Electric counterbalanced forklifts (1.5–3.5 ton capacity): 3,310 kg – 5,310 kg
Reach trucks: 3,065 kg – 5,135 kg
Heavy-duty internal transport vehicles: Can reach up to 350 tonnes
In short, industrial trucks cover everything from manual pallet jacks to massive 350-tonne transport vehicles, with prices ranging from a few thousand to over $55,000 for standard forklifts and weights from about 3 tonnes to over 5 tonnes for common electric models.
