The purchase price of a battery machine is higher than the diesel equivalent, and the running cost is usually lower. Which of those two facts matters more depends on three things: how many hours the machine works in a year, whether it works indoors, and whether the site can charge it. This article sets out what actually drives the difference, using machines from our own range.
What is different, and what is not
On an articulated boom lift, the answer is more interesting than most buyers expect. Our MPA22E and ABL22D share the same chassis: 22 m working height, 20 m platform height, 12.9 m working radius, 8.54 m up-and-over clearance, 250 kg platform capacity and 9,000 kg machine weight. The difference is the power unit: a 48 V, 360 Ah lithium battery pack or a Kubota 36 kW diesel engine. Reach, stability and platform are identical, so the choice really is about cost of ownership and where the machine works.
The five factors that decide running cost
- Energy per hour. Electricity is cheaper per unit of work than diesel in almost every market, and charging happens overnight on a tariff rather than from a fuel can on site.
- Duty cycle. A battery pack that suits one shift may not suit two. If the machine works continuously, either specify a larger pack or accept a mid-shift charge, and account for that hour in the calculation.
- Maintenance. A diesel engine needs oil, filters, belts and coolant, plus an engine service schedule. An electric drive needs almost none of that, which is where a large part of the saving sits for an operator with a mixed fleet.
- Battery replacement. The pack is a consumable. It is the single largest running-cost item on an electric machine and should be planned for, not discovered.
- Where it can work. This is not a running cost in the accounting sense, but it decides the whole calculation: a diesel machine cannot work inside an occupied building, and an electric machine that runs out of charge in a yard is no cheaper than the diesel it replaced.
Where electric wins
- Indoors and in occupied buildings. No exhaust, much less noise, and no diesel fumes in a food plant, a cold store or a public building.
- Two-shift work with a fixed base. Overnight charging and a mid-shift top-up cover most warehouse and factory duty cycles.
- Sites with an electricity supply but no fuel point. If the machine lives inside a building, the charging point is a socket rather than a bunded fuel store.
- Operators who track cost per hour. Fewer consumables usually means less unscheduled downtime, and downtime is the most expensive cost of all.
Where diesel still wins
- Remote sites with no power. Refuelling from a can is a real advantage where there is no supply.
- Continuous heavy duty. A diesel machine works until the tank is empty; a battery machine works until the pack is empty and then stops for hours.
- Rough ground and long travel distances. The diesel chassis is generally worked harder and further between stops.
- Very cold conditions. Battery capacity falls in the cold, which matters in an unheated yard in winter.
Comparing the two properly
| Factor | Battery / lithium | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Example model | MPA22E, 48 V / 360 Ah lithium | ABL22D, Kubota 36 kW |
| Working height, reach, capacity | 22 m, 12.9 m, 250 kg | 22 m, 12.9 m, 250 kg |
| Machine weight | 9,000 kg | 9,000 kg |
| Can work indoors | Yes, no exhaust | No |
| Noise | Low | High |
| Energy | Off-peak electricity, charged on site | Diesel from a can or a bowser |
| Routine maintenance | Hydraulics and electrical only | Engine oil, filters, belts, coolant |
| Replacement item to plan for | Battery pack | Engine overhaul at high hours |
| Best for | Warehouses, factories, public buildings | Remote sites, rough ground, long shifts outdoors |
The honest conclusion is that the two machines are not competing on price alone. If the machine works indoors or in a public building, the diesel version is simply not an option, whatever it costs. If the machine lives outdoors on a site without power, the electric version needs a charging plan before it can be considered.
What we see in practice
Warehouse and factory customers almost always end up on battery. A self-propelled scissor lift supplied to a distribution centre in Kenya is a typical example: a 24 V lead acid pack with a 24 V / 30 A charger, charged overnight in a corner of the warehouse, with no fuel, no exhaust and no engine service schedule. Where the same customer needed machines for outside work on rough ground, they specified the diesel version of the boom lift instead, on the same chassis as the electric one.
Some enquiries test both options deliberately. A recent enquiry from a customer in Brazil asked for pricing on both a 22 m diesel articulated boom and a 22 m electric machine with a jib, precisely because the site split into an indoor phase and an outdoor phase, and the decision changed with the phase of the project.
Frequently asked questions
Is a battery aerial platform more expensive to buy?
Yes, the up-front cost is higher because of the battery pack and the charging system. The gap narrows once you count the avoided engine servicing, the lower energy cost per hour and the fact that the machine can work indoors, which is often the reason it was bought in the first place.
How long does a charge last on a scissor lift?
It depends on the model and the duty cycle. Our 12 m and 13.8 m scissor lifts use a 4 x 6 V / 260 Ah pack with a 24 V / 30 A charger, and the smaller models use a maintenance-free lead acid pack. Tell us the shift pattern and we will confirm the working hours for the model you are considering.
Can a diesel machine be used indoors?
No. Diesel engines produce exhaust gases and cannot be run inside an occupied building or an enclosed space. If the work is indoors, the machine has to be battery or mains electric, which is the single biggest reason we quote lithium machines for warehouse projects.
Next step
Tell us whether the machine works indoors or outside, how many hours it works in a day and whether the site has a charging point, and we will confirm which power option suits the job and quote both where both are possible. See our articulated boom lifts and electric scissor lifts for the full specifications.