Forklift classes are defined by recognised industry standards such as those outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They are designed for different environments, loads, and operational requirements, making it essential to understand how each class operates before choosing the right machine.
Before you make a decision about which machine is right for your operation, it is first important to understand how forklifts are classified.
Forklifts are divided into seven classes, ranging from Class I to Class VII. These classifications are based on factors such as fuel type, application, and key operating features. While forklift classes provide a helpful framework, understanding how each type is used in real-world applications is key to choosing the right machine for the right operation.
This guide focuses on the different types of forklifts available, and how each one is designed to solve specific material handling challenges across different industries while operating across many different environments.
Class I: Electric Motor Rider Forklifts
Class I forklifts are battery-powered trucks where the operator rides either seated or standing. The battery also acts as a counterweight, making these forklifts highly stable and suitable for both indoor use and controlled outdoor environments.
Common applications: Warehousing, manufacturing, distribution
Key benefits: Low emissions, quiet operation, reduced maintenance
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Multidirectional Forklifts (Electric) | Combi-CB Electric Multidirectional Forklifts | Aisle Master Electric Articulated Forklifts
These forklift solutions are designed to maximise space, safety, and flexibility in indoor and controlled outdoor environments. These electric machines combine zero-emission operation with advanced manoeuvrability, allowing businesses to handle long, bulky, or palletised loads efficiently in narrow aisles. By offering multidirectional travel and articulated steering options, Combilift electric forklifts help reduce aisle widths, improve storage density, and streamline material handling operations across warehousing and manufacturing applications.
Class II: Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Forklifts
Designed for tight spaces, Class II forklifts operate in narrow aisles and often use attachments for specialised tasks. These trucks prioritise space efficiency and precision handling.
Common applications: High-density warehouses, narrow aisle storage
Key benefits: Optimised space utilisation, improved picking efficiency
Combilift Equivalent: Aisle Master Articulated Forklifts | Combilift Narrow Aisle Multidirectional Forklifts (Electric)
These are designed to maximise storage capacity in high-density warehouse environments. Built for narrow aisle operation, these electric solutions allow businesses to reduce aisle widths while maintaining precise, safe load handling at height. Their advanced manoeuvrability and compact design support efficient movement in confined spaces, helping warehouses increase racking density, improve picking efficiency, and optimise overall space utilisation without expanding the facility footprint.
Class III: Electric Motor Hand or Hand/Rider Forklifts
These forklifts are primarily used for low-level lifting and horizontal transport. They are commonly walk-behind, or ride-on units used for short-distance material movement.
Common applications: Warehouses, loading areas
Key benefits: Easy operation, compact design, cost-effective
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Pedestrian Stackers | Combilift Pedestrian Order Picking Solutions
These are designed for efficient, low-level material handling in confined spaces. These electric, walk-behind or stand-on machines offer excellent control and visibility, making them well suited to warehouses, loading areas, and light industrial environments where safety and manouveurability are essential. Their compact design supports short-distance transport and picking tasks, helping to streamline workflows while reducing manual handling and operator fatigue.
Class IV: Internal Combustion Forklifts with Cushion Tyres
Class IV forklifts use internal combustion engines and cushion tyres, making them suitable for smooth indoor surfaces and low-clearance environments.
Common applications: Warehouses, loading docks
Key benefits: Strong lifting capacity, reliable indoor performance
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Multidirectional Forklifts (Internal Combustion) | Combilift Sideloading Forklifts (Internal Combustion)
These are designed to deliver powerful, reliable performance in indoor industrial environments and controlled outdoor areas. Combining diesel or LPG power with advanced manoeuvrability, these machines are well suited to handling long, heavy, or awkward loads where space is limited. Their robust design supports continuous operation, while multidirectional and side-loading capabilities help improve safety, reduce handling steps, and optimise aisle space in manufacturing and warehouse settings.
Class V: Internal Combustion Forklifts with Pneumatic Tyres
Equipped with pneumatic tyres, Class V forklifts are versatile machines that can operate both indoors and outdoors, even on uneven surfaces.
Common applications: Warehouses, yards, mixed-use sites
Key benefits: Durability, flexibility, wide capacity range
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Multidirectional Forklifts | Combilift Sideloading Forklifts | Combilift Load Carriers
These are Combilift multidirectional forklifts, sideloading forklifts, and load carriers that are designed for versatile operation across both indoor and outdoor environments. Built to handle long, heavy, or oversized loads, these solutions combine robust construction with enhanced manoeuvrability to support safe and efficient material movement on uneven surfaces. Their flexible design makes them well suited to mixed-use sites, helping businesses improve durability, reduce handling steps, and maintain productivity across warehouses, yards, and industrial operations.
Class VI: Electric or Internal Combustion Tractors
Rather than lifting loads, Class VI trucks are designed for towing. Often referred to as tuggers, they are used to move multiple loads efficiently over distances.
Common applications: Airports, logistics facilities
Key benefits: Efficient towing, reduced manual handling
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Load Carriers | Combilift Custom-Built Transport Solutions
These are designed to support efficient load movement and towing across large industrial and logistics environments. Rather than focusing on lifting, these solutions enable the safe transport of heavy or oversized loads over longer distances, helping reduce manual handling and streamline internal workflows. With designs tailored to specific operational requirements, Combilift’s transport solutions offer flexibility, durability, and improved efficiency for complex material handling operations.
Class VII: Rough Terrain Forklifts
Class VII forklifts are heavy-duty machines built for outdoor use on uneven or challenging terrain. They feature large pneumatic tyres and powerful engines.
Common applications: Construction sites, timber yards, agriculture
Key benefits: Stability on rough ground, high lifting power
Combilift Equivalent: Combilift Straddle Carriers | Combilift Container Loaders | Combilift Load Carriers | Combilift Poultry Products
These are designed for heavy-duty handling in demanding outdoor and semi-outdoor environments. Built to manage large, heavy, or specialist loads on uneven terrain, these solutions prioritise stability, durability, and safety in challenging conditions. From industrial yards and logistics hubs to agricultural and food-processing facilities, Combilift’s rough-terrain handling solutions support reliable operation while meeting industry-specific and operational requirements.
How to Choose the Right Forklift for Your Operation?
When selecting a forklift consider:
- Operating environment (indoor, outdoor, mixed)
- Load type (palletised, long, oversized)
- Aisle width and available space
- Power preference (electric vs internal combustion)
- Industry-specific requirements
Understanding forklift classes is the first step: choosing the right application-driven solution is where real efficiency gains are made.
Explore Combilift Solutions
Unlike traditional forklift manufacturers, Combilift designs many of its solutions to perform across multiple forklift classes, offering greater flexibility for complex handling environments.
Combilift prides itself on niche and bespoke designs, developed to meet the specific material handling requirements of each customer.
That is why we offer a free Warehouse Planning Service to help maximise space, with some customers able to double storage capacity. Multi-directional technology enables effortless manoeuvring in tight spaces, reducing overheads. A new Combilift offsets its cost through savings from this increased storage, optimised layouts, reduced overheads, and improved productivity, avoiding costly expansions.
Explore Combilift’s full product range to discover forklifts and material handling solutions for every industry and operational environment.
Let our team help you choose the right material handling solution to suit your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Class I electric motor rider forklifts are commonly used for indoor material handling in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centres. They are designed to offer quiet operation, zero emissions, and strong manoeuvrability.
Combilift supports these applications through its electric multidirectional forklifts, Combi-CB electric models, and Aisle Master articulated forklifts, which are designed to maximise space utilisation while handling palletised, long, or awkward loads efficiently.
Electric forklifts are valued for their low noise levels, zero exhaust emissions, and reduced maintenance requirements compared to internal combustion alternatives. These benefits make them particularly suitable for indoor environments and sustainability-focused operations.
Combilift’s electric forklift solutions, including multidirectional and articulated designs, combine these benefits with enhanced manoeuvrability, helping businesses operate effectively in narrow or space-constrained environments.
Narrow aisle forklifts allow warehouses to reduce aisle widths and increase racking density, helping maximise available storage space without expanding the facility. They are designed for precise load handling at height in confined spaces.
Combilift addresses these challenges with its Aisle Master articulated forklifts and narrow aisle multidirectional electric machines, which enable high-density storage while maintaining safe and efficient operation.
Forklifts used in narrow aisle environments are typically electric-powered and designed for high manoeuvrability. These include articulated forklifts and narrow aisle multidirectional trucks capable of operating in reduced aisle widths.
Combilift offers both articulated and multidirectional solutions that are well suited to warehouses handling palletised goods as well as long or oversized loads in confined spaces.
Class III electric motor hand or hand/rider forklifts are commonly used for low-level lifting and short-distance transport. They are often walk-behind or stand-on machines designed for ease of use in tight spaces.
Combilift supports these applications through its pedestrian stackers and pedestrian order picking solutions, which help streamline workflows in warehouses, loading areas, and light industrial environments.
Pedestrian handling solutions help reduce manual lifting and carrying, lowering the risk of operator strain and injury. Their compact design and walk-behind or stand-on operation also support safer movement in areas with limited space or mixed pedestrian traffic.
Combilift’s pedestrian stackers and order picking machines are designed to enhance operator control and visibility while supporting efficient material movement.
In some cases, a single forklift solution can support multiple applications. Flexible designs can handle different load types and operating across varied environments.
Many Combilift machines are designed to operate across multiple forklift classes, with multidirectional and articulated solutions capable of handling palletised, long, and oversized loads both indoors and outdoors.
Choosing the right forklift depends on factors such as operating environment, load type, aisle width, power preference, and industry-specific requirements.
Combilift works with customers to identify application-driven solutions, offering a wide range of multidirectional, articulated, pedestrian, and specialist machines designed to meet specific operational needs.
