Clarios, the global market leader in advanced energy storage solutions, discusses how the VARTA ProMotive AGM battery was conceived in close collaboration with Europe’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
These days, conventional batteries have a hard time keeping up with the large amount of energy-draining electrical functions that modern trucks are equipped with. Trucks are on the road for longer which means more overnight stays in the cabin – with increased expectations regarding to comfort. Refrigerators, microwaves, coffee machines, and entertainment electronics lead to deeply discharged batteries after the rest periods.
On top of that , there is an increasing number of EU legislations to be met. Advanced fuel saving technologies like coasting/sailing and passive boost are on the rise in order to reduce CO2 emissions and overall consumption.
Together with AdBlue tanks taking up additional space, this often makes an end-of- frame installation close to the rear axle necessary, subjecting the battery to increased vibrations. High robustness and vibration resistance are therefore required.
The manufacturer’s choice
“Some of the biggest manufacturers, therefore, turned to us with a request to collaborate on the development of a solution. That’s how the VARTA ProMotive AGM came into being,” explains Thorsten Werle, Engineering Design Lead Heavy Duty at Clarios EMEA.
VARTA is the market- and technologyleading brand in the field of commercial vehicle batteries. The ProMotive AGM combines the know-how from both product lines and draws on 20 years of experience in producing advanced AGM batteries.
With an Original Equipment (OE) market share of 65% in the European heavy duty battery business, VARTA is the manufacturer’s choice when it comes to fitting the best battery technology available. The VARTA ProMotive AGM has passed both lab and road tests and fulfills all four key requirements to be labelled an original spare part:
- Cold cranking power
- Cycling performance and deep discharge capabilities
- Vibration resistance
- Charge acceptance
“Long-term trials have confirmed that the VARTA ProMotive AGM lives up to the promises we made about it. Major manufacturers have approved the battery and are integrating the AGM as OE into their latest generation of heavy commercial vehicles,” comments Werle.
What is the VARTA ProMotive AGM?
The VARTA ProMotive AGM is Europe’s first AGM battery for commercial vehicles. AGM stands for Absorbent Glass Mat. The eponymous fleece absorbs the battery acid and increases cycle stability. This prevents loss of capacity due to acid stratification, the main cause of battery failure in modern trucks.
The advantage is the battery has a lifetime expectancy of two years or longer. To reach a comparable lifetime with a regular battery would result in its drop of capacity down to 20%. Due to the special design of the VARTA ProMotive AGM, however, up to 80% of the specified capacity can be utilised without significantly compromising cycle lifetime. It provides the ideal power supply for vehicles equipped with comfort and safety functions and advanced fuel-saving features such as coasting/sailing.
AdBlue tanks and larger fuel tanks are displacing batteries towards the rear end of commercial vehicles. In this position, they have to be able to withstand increased vibrations in order to prevent premature failure. The VARTA ProMotive AGM addresses this challenge with its rugged casing and special fixations.
Shorter driving times overall and an increased number of overnight stays make the VARTA ProMotive AGM’s enhanced charge acceptance and larger number of cycles an indispensable asset in modern logistics. With this combination of features, the VARTA ProMotive AGM ensures cost-effective, safe, and comfortable driving. For the first time, it is possible to take advantage of the full potential of commercial vehicles with an extended battery life.
Good for business
Fleet managers of today expect reliability from their vehicles, as well as from their choice of spare parts. They put their trust in leading technologies and brands to ensure minimum risk of downtime and constant optimisation of their fleet’s total costs of ownership (TCO).
According to Werle, the VARTA ProMotive AGM is providing a unique value now and in the years to come. He explains: “If you already have a lot of well-equipped trucks, it’s worth upgrading them to our AGM battery. It gives drivers and fleet operators additional security against battery failures, reduces overall operating costs, and ensures satisfied customers for the truck manufacturers. The VARTA ProMotive AGM is absolutely future-proof and still has a lot of free capacity available for additional energy consumers.”
VARTA Fleet Program
The increasing complexity of modern trucks represents a major challenge for trucking companies. To ensure that fleets are best equipped to cope with these, VARTA has not just developed a reliable, future-ready product in the form of the AGM battery, but also offers the corresponding service with its VARTA Fleet Program. This programme’s main feature is that it offers fleet managers direct contact to the manufacturer. By registering free-of-charge on the website, members will receive custom advice relating to their fleet, strategic purchase recommendations, support on battery management-related questions, analysis and optimisation options for battery performance, and a great deal more.
