As we enter the second quarter of 2025, the material handling industry continues to see the trend toward electrification and sustainability initiatives. While regulatory pressures have fluctuated, more end-users want to transition their forklift fleets to electric models over internal combustion engine (ICE) units. This shift is not confined to one region—it is reshaping fleet policies and dealership strategies nationwide as companies seek cleaner, more cost-effective equipment solutions. As a result, dealerships and service providers must adapt their strategy to support customers switching to electric-powered fleets.
Electrification isn’t just about compliance—it’s a fundamental market shift affecting how dealerships sell, service, and support their customers. While much attention is on new equipment sales, the real impact will be felt in service and parts departments, where traditional ICE-driven revenue streams are evolving.
This transition brings both challenges and opportunities to dealerships. How can service and parts managers prepare for an electric-dominated market? What strategies will sustain and grow their aftermarket business? Let’s explore how these departments must adapt to the demands of electrification.
Service Departments
Electric forklifts have fewer moving parts than their ICE counterparts, which means fewer traditional service visits. No more oil changes, fuel system maintenance, spark plug replacements, or exhaust system repairs. This shift challenges service departments that rely on recurring maintenance work to drive revenue. However, there are several strategies dealerships can use to stay relevant in the electrified market.
- Shift to Predictive and Proactive Maintenance
Instead of focusing on reactive repairs, service departments should shift toward predictive maintenance strategies that leverage technology and data analytics. This approach minimizes unexpected downtime and helps customers extend the lifespan of their electric forklifts, ensuring optimal performance over time.
One key area of focus is battery health monitoring. Many modern electric forklifts have smart battery management systems (BMS) that track charge cycles, temperature fluctuations, and capacity degradation. By offering remote battery monitoring services, dealerships can proactively alert customers to potential issues before they escalate into costly repairs or forklift failures.
Another game-changer is telematics and IoT-based service plans. With built-in telematics, electric forklifts generate valuable data on usage patterns, charging habits, and component wear. Dealerships can use this information to provide subscription-based service programs, allowing them to anticipate maintenance needs and address minor issues before they impact productivity. This proactive approach strengthens customer relationships by reducing unplanned downtime and ensuring their fleet runs smoothly.
- Retraining Technicians for High-Voltage Systems
One of the most significant shifts in forklift servicing is the need for specialized training in high-voltage electrical systems. While ICE forklift technicians are experienced in mechanical repairs, servicing electric forklifts requires an entirely different skill set. Technicians must become proficient in lithium-ion and lead-acid battery maintenance, high-voltage circuit troubleshooting, battery cooling and thermal management systems, electric motor diagnostics, and inverter repairs. Without this expertise, your service department risks falling behind as more customers transition to electric fleets.
Your dealership should invest in comprehensive training programs covering key electrical fundamentals, including basic circuits, DC motors, control systems, and advanced motor controls such as SCR and transistor-based systems. Hands-on troubleshooting sessions are particularly valuable, allowing your technicians to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios by diagnosing and resolving introduced faults. TVH University’s Electric Truck training curriculum is an excellent resource for dealerships looking to upskill their workforce. It offers structured courses designed to equip technicians with the knowledge and hands-on experience required to safely and effectively service electric forklifts.
Failing to adapt to this industry shift could mean losing customers who need reliable and knowledgeable service providers for their electric fleets. Dealerships that take a proactive approach to technician training will retain their current customers and position themselves as leaders in their respective markets.
- Expanding Service Capabilities
With electric forklifts requiring fewer traditional service visits, dealerships have an opportunity to enhance their on-site service capabilities. Expanding service offerings ensures that customers receive timely diagnostics and battery maintenance without unnecessary downtime. Well-equipped service vans, stocked with battery testing tools, software diagnostic equipment, and essential replacement components, allow technicians to address issues efficiently at the customer’s location.
Parts Departments
Traditional parts sales are shrinking with the shift to electrification, but new opportunities are emerging. Instead of engine and fuel system parts, demand is shifting to batteries, electrical components, and charging infrastructure.
Parts departments must have the proper inventory to support battery maintenance and repairs. Partnering with the right suppliers can streamline procurement and keep essential battery-related products readily available. Stocking items such as battery cleaning and repair supplies, gauges, indicators, replacement cells, and vent caps ensure customers can maintain their battery systems efficiently.
Cables, connectors, and terminal covers are critical components that help your customers keep their battery-powered equipment running safely and effectively. In addition, battery watering solutions are key in maintaining lead-acid batteries, preventing premature wear and performance issues.
Keeping a comprehensive battery parts inventory is essential. Partnering with reliable suppliers and implementing strategic inventory initiatives for these products ensures your parts department stays ahead of demand while maximizing revenue opportunities.
As more forklift fleets transition to electric, aftermarket strategies must evolve to keep pace. While demand for traditional ICE parts and maintenance services may decline, new revenue opportunities are emerging for dealerships. Investing in technician training for high-voltage systems, battery diagnostics, and electric motor repairs will be critical to supporting this shift. At the same time, service departments must rethink their approach, moving toward predictive maintenance programs and expanding mobile service capabilities to keep customers up and running with on-site battery diagnostics and repairs. Dealerships that take action now will position themselves as key service partners in the growing electric forklift market, regardless of fluctuating regulatory pressures.
About the Author:
Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has been in the equipment business for 19-plus years as a service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team that sells replacement parts and accessories in various equipment markets, such as material handling, equipment rental, and construction/earthmoving dealerships.
