Think of the battery as the "motor" of your electric forklift... just as you would change the oil and filter on a gas/lpg engine if you take care of a battery PROPERLY on a electric it should last a long time. One thing on a battery that has been sitting around and discharged for a long period of time(if this is the case?) it is good if you overcharge the battery a few times to desulfate the plates in the cells. I have one customer on my route that NEVER waters their battery's and they have one truck that has a battery that isnt a year old yet and it is ALREADY junk