An equipment maker is designing a new electric truck and must fix the system voltage before choosing the motor, controller and battery. The engineering team wants to understand how voltage affects current, cables and component choice.
Choose voltage from the power the truck needs. For the same power, a higher voltage means lower current, which allows thinner cables, smaller contactors and less heat. In general, 24V suits pallet trucks and small warehouse trucks, 36V and 48V suit reach trucks and light to medium counterbalance trucks, and 80V suits heavier counterbalance trucks. Then check motor, controller and charger availability at that voltage, and confirm a suitable pack. Redway lists forklift packs from 24V to 80V.
How voltage changes the design
- Current. Power equals voltage times current. Doubling voltage halves the current for the same power, which reduces cable size and losses.
- Components. Motors, controllers, contactors and DC-DC converters are sold in voltage classes. Pick a voltage where good parts are easy to source.
- Battery. Higher voltage means more cells in series. Capacity in amp-hours is chosen separately for the energy you need.
- Charging. Chargers must match the pack voltage, and fast charging at low voltage needs very high current.
- Safety and rules. Higher voltages may bring extra insulation and service requirements, so check the standards for your market.
Typical uses
As a rough guide: 24V for pallet trucks and stackers (see our 24V article); 36V and 48V for reach trucks and light to mid-size counterbalance trucks; 80V for heavier counterbalance trucks with long or intensive shifts (see our 80V article). Redway’s voltage and capacity page shows the range.
Steps for a new platform
- Estimate peak and average power for drive and lift.
- Shortlist voltages that keep current within sensible component ratings.
- Check motor, controller and charger options at each voltage.
- Size the energy in kWh, then the pack capacity; see our shift energy article.
- Ask the battery supplier for a pack proposal with dimensions, weight and communication.
Risk limits
These are general ranges, not rules; your duty cycle and component choice decide. Confirm pack specifications for your project at quotation. This article is general guidance for engineering teams.
Additional perspectives
Check the controller supplier’s range first. A voltage where you have two or three controller options keeps the project flexible.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Design engineer perspective
Think about the customer’s chargers and spare parts. A voltage that matches existing fleets can make the truck easier to sell.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Product manager perspective
Share the peak current and the space envelope early. Voltage and space together decide the cell layout, and the layout decides weight and cost.
Redway Tech Editorial Team – Battery engineer perspective
Specifications are taken from Redway product pages as of October 2026. Where a figure isn’t published, this article says so. Confirm current specifications for your model with Redway before ordering. This article is general guidance, not a site-specific engineering assessment.
Related products
- 24V 280Ah 300Ah Forklift Lithium Battery
- 38.4V 36V 700Ah 690Ah Forklift Lithium Battery
- 48V 460Ah 450Ah Forklift Lithium Battery
- 80V 400Ah 420Ah Forklift Lithium Battery
- 72V 300Ah Forklift Lithium Battery
Related topics
- Forklift Battery Voltage & Capacity
- 24V Forklift Battery Systems
- 48V Forklift Battery Systems
- High-Capacity Forklift Batteries & Ah Sizing
- Forklift Models, Specifications & Technical Guides
- Battery OEM Customization & Engineering
- Sizing Methods & Load Audits
- Cable, Fuse & Breaker Sizing
- Forklift Battery Runtime & Shift Planning
- Pallet Jack, Reach Truck & Warehouse Batteries
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