As commercial trucking aftertreatment specialists, we like to be at the forefront of developments and technology improvements. When we saw the potential of idle reduction to preserve the aftertreatment system, we realized two things. Firstly, improved electric APU performance means reduced idle times and less pressure on the engine and aftertreatment system. Secondly, the best way to improve electric APU performance is with superior lithium batteries. So we developed the first lithium APU batteries specifically for the trucking industry—LightningVolt™.
How Can Idle Reduction Preserve Your Aftertreatment System?
Anyone who’s ever worked in trucking knows that replacing aftertreatment parts like your DPF and DOC is expensive and time-consuming. It can be incredibly frustrating when forced regens delay your trip and make you miss deadlines. So how do you cut down on regens and make your expensive aftertreatment system last longer?
Modern aftertreatment systems, built since the introduction of anti-idling laws, are not able to handle excessive idling. As the lowest-duty cycle, idling is the fastest way to clog up your DPF, triggering more regens and longer delays. The increased pressure from the extra soot can also cause blockages that active regens cannot clear. You will have to free up the DPF through forced regens or even premature DPF cleaning. On top of this, serious clogging from excess idling can prematurely damage your DPF, forcing you to replace it early. But an idle-reduction system, like an electric APU with efficient lithium batteries, means less idling and longer between regens.
How Does an Electric APU Reduce Your Engine Hours?
You measure commercial trucks in engine hours, which includes hours driven and hours idled. Engine hours determine the regularity of your engine and aftertreatment maintenance and how soon you need to replace them. The more you idle, the faster you drive up your engine hours, and the quicker you clog up your DPF. But with lithium APU batteries to reduce idling, you can increase your DPF maintenance window and preserve your aftertreatment system. By driving down your engine hours, you also drive up the resale value of your truck and aftertreatment system!
Use Your DPF For Driving, Not Idling
We developed LightningVolt™ as a complementary system to preserve aftertreatment parts through idle reduction. As a by-product, LightningVolt™ also saves you money by reducing the fuel you waste through idling. The average trucker loses $10,000–$12,000 USD or $13,250–$15,900 CAD in fuel through idling every year. These savings easily cover the cost of an upgrade to lithium APU batteries, which you’ll only need to replace every 5–10 years. Considering that you need to replace AGM batteries every 1-2 years, this makes LightningVolt™ a sound financial investment! You can find out more about idling and fuel wastage here.
Why Choose LightningVolt™ APU Batteries?
For one thing, LightningVolt™ is the only lithium battery to be designed specifically for commercial trucks, by trucking industry experts. As emissions control specialists, we are uniquely placed to develop a battery that protects your aftertreatment system, reducing inconvenient regens and lengthening maintenance windows. LightningVolt™ lithium batteries are designed for the shocks, jolts and vibration of the roads. As a Canadian company, we have a unique perspective on how challenging terrain, steep roads and unpredictable weather conditions impact the life of North American truck drivers. Our team designed LightningVolt™ to withstand extreme heat and cold, providing you with above-average performance even in bad conditions.
Lithium batteries have double the runtime between charges compared to traditional alternatives, and a 10× longer working life. As LightningVolt™ is specifically designed for trucks, it comes in a standard Grp 31 size, making it a perfect fit for electric APUs that were using lead-acid or AGM batteries! As an added bonus, they weigh half as much as traditional lead-acid batteries, providing long-term weight reduction. Check out our website to find out more about LightningVolt™, or to discover the largest catalogue of aftertreatment parts on the market. Our aftermarket parts range from DOCs, DPFs and SCR to NOx sensors, DEF dosers and clamps. You can also find more helpful resources in our handy blog!
Head to our battery page to find out more about the benefits of LightningVolt™
