Which is better for electric forklifts with electronic steering or mechanical steering?

For many customers of electric forklifts, they are not familiar with the differences in steering systems and often have difficulty choosing the right one. The steering system is an important component of forklifts, and according to the different power sources of the steering, the steering systems of electric forklifts mainly include mechanical and electronic power steering. In fact, the biggest difference between the two is that when the forklift is not started, one steering is light and the other is heavy, similar to the steering wheel power of a car. So, which is better, electronic steering or mechanical steering, for electric forklifts? Let's take a brief look below!

Using a traditional mechanical steering system, after starting the electric forklift, both hands act on the handle, and the force is transmitted through a chain to drive the steering wheel to turn. The pure mechanical transmission of power makes it difficult to turn. When carrying a full load of goods, it is very difficult to turn while walking. Moreover, if driving on uneven roads, the vibration of the steering wheel on the road surface will be transmitted to the handle, causing the phenomenon of hitting hands and bringing certain difficulties to the control of the handle.

Electric forklifts equipped with electronic steering systems automatically sense the torque of the steering wheel and the intended direction of rotation when turning, and send it to the steering system controller. The steering system controller will issue action commands to the steering motor based on data signals such as transmission torque and intended steering direction, so that the motor can output corresponding rotational torque according to specific needs, making steering easy to complete. Operating electric forklifts or stackers equipped with electronic steering requires one-fifth of the manpower required for mechanical steering, greatly saving the intensity of human labor. During operation, even a gentle flick of the finger can easily complete the steering work, truly achieving labor-saving and higher efficiency for electric forklifts.

August 18, 2025