Making sure your battery equipment is up to standard as the winter months roll around is crucial. VARTA explains its advanced technology that allows its batteries to be more reliable and more durable in extreme conditions.
Winter is a challenging time for batteries in commercial vehicles, with increased rates of flat batteries caused by sub-zero temperatures. To avoid this, Clarios, the global market leader in advanced energy storage solutions, developed the VARTA ProMotive AGM in collaboration with the leading truck manufacturers. An enhanced technology makes this truck battery more reliable and more durable than conventional batteries.
Successful use under extreme conditions
Anders Johansson is familiar with the problems of truck drivers in winter all too well. He is the owner of a trucking company, a fleet manager and a driver all rolled into one. He spends up to five nights a week on the road in northern Sweden – frequently at low subzero temperatures and in constant darkness. Both of these factors have frequently afflicted the batteries used previously by his fleet.
“When you spend so many hours on the road, lights plus a microwave, refrigerator, iPad, and coffee machine are essential items in order to live as normal as possible. And, of, course, a cab heater,” he says.
The heater runs all night and sometimes even when parked up for lunch. That draws a huge amount of electricity. After all, the fuel pump, glow plug, ventilation system, and coolant pump in the heating system have to be kept operational.
“Waking up at night because the battery has gone flat and it’s perhaps only one or two degrees in the cabin is no fun,” recalls Johansson.
VARTA ProMotive AGM
Since fitting VARTA ProMotive AGM in his fleet, however, things are not just warm and cozy. Engines start reliably even after being switched off for an extended period. For Johansson, it was a major problem that often batteries did not manage that. He comments: “If you’re stuck in the middle of a forest up here in the far north, the nearest workshop may be 250 to 300 kilometers away. That’s why drivers often didn’t turn their engine off overnight in the past to make sure there was still enough power the next morning.”
Since that is no longer necessary, Johansson saves a lot of fuel and money, despite the slightly higher purchase price of the VARTA ProMotive AGM compared with other batteries. He sums it up: “It feels like I’ve got my own power plant with me.”
What is the VARTA ProMotive AGM?
AGM stands for Absorbent Glass Mat and is a further development of the lead-acid battery. The electrolyte in this case is bound in a glass-fiber fleece mat. That prevents electrolyte stratification – the main cause of flat batteries in lead-acid starter batteries – as a result of which its service life is significantly extended. Another advantage of the AGM technology is its excellent charge acceptance.
For the first time, it is possible to charge the battery fully – not just in the lab but also in the vehicle. That means the full battery capacity is available for every overnight stop. In combination with the VARTA PowerFrame grid, the VARTA ProMotive AGM delivers excellent starting performance even if the battery is partially or even significantly discharged. And that still applies even at low temperatures if the drivers leave their parking heater and other electronic devices running in the truck overnight.
This reliable grid technology sets the AGM battery apart from competitors’ batteries. Real-world fleet testing proves the powerful grid to be nearly three times more corrosion resistant compared to other grids, making it more durable than other technologies. The PowerFrame grid technology pattern is optimized for full grid utilization, providing more than 60% superior electrical flow for better connectivity.
