Forklift Operating Cost Calculator

Operating cost is the figure that decides which truck is actually cheaper, and it is almost never the purchase price. Enter your own numbers below: every field is an assumption you control, and the result updates as you type.

Usage

A single-shift operation is roughly 2,000 hours a year.

Energy or fuel

Price per kWh for electric, per litre for diesel, per kg or litre for LPG. Use the unit your invoice uses.

In the same unit as the price above: kWh per hour, litres per hour, or kg per hour.

Maintenance and other costs

Service contract, parts and tyres divided by operating hours.

Leave at zero for engine-powered trucks. For electric trucks, the cost of one replacement pack.

Used to spread the replacement cost across its working life.

Insurance, inspection, licences, telematics subscriptions.

Labour

Fully loaded operator cost. Leave at zero to see machine cost only - operator cost usually dwarfs everything else, so include it deliberately.

Cost per operating hour

$3.00

Per 8-hour day
$24.00
Per month
$500
Per year
$6,000
Over 5 years
$30,000

Where the money goes

  • Energy or fuel $1.50
  • Maintenance $1.50
  • Battery / major replacement $0.00
  • Other $0.00
  • Operator $0.00

Figures are shown in $. The calculation does not convert currencies: enter every price in the same one.

These figures are estimates. They are produced from the numbers you enter, not from quoted prices, and they are not a guarantee of real-world cost. Use them to compare options, then confirm with your supplier.

Assumptions used in this calculation
  • A working day is treated as 8 hours.
  • Replacement components are spread evenly across their stated life (straight-line, no discounting).
  • Energy price and consumption are assumed constant across the period.

How this is calculated

Every cost is converted to a cost per operating hour, then scaled up:

  • Energy per hour = fuel or energy price x consumption per hour.
  • Battery per hour = replacement cost / (life in years x annual hours).
  • Other per hour = annual other costs / annual hours.
  • Total per hour = energy + maintenance + battery + other + operator.
  • Annual = total per hour x annual hours. A day is 8 hours; a month is one twelfth of the year.

Apply this to real machines

Other calculators

Electric vs LPG vs Diesel Forklift Cost Calculator Compare the running cost of an electric, LPG and diesel forklift side by side, including purchase price, energy, maintenance and battery replacement, with a break-even period. Forklift Total Cost of Ownership Calculator Estimate the full 3, 5 or 7 year cost of owning a forklift: purchase, energy, maintenance, battery, labour and other costs, less residual value.