VARTA batteries deliver for Lenehan Transport
Lenehan Transport has reported performance improvements and cost savings as a result of adopting battery technology from VARTA for its trucks.
The Ireland-based transportation business specialises in moving temperature controlled fresh and frozen foods and meats from Dublin to Italy. Its fleet of 31 Volvo Trucks are regularly on the road for many days at a time, with drivers resting overnight inside the cabin. A constant challenge the company faces is that of truck battery lifespan, and so it set out to discover what solutions existed to address the problem.
Each of Lenehan’s trucks and trailers are fitted with tracking systems ensuring the company knows the location of its fleet at all times, as well as the temperature of the goods on board.
The refrigerated trailers are also fitted with Thermo King refrigeration units to ensure the foods are kept at the correct, controlled temperatures throughout the journey, which sometimes last up to five weeks at a time, as they travel across the continent and then return to Ireland.
As the driver sleeps in the cabin during the evening downtime, there are plenty of comfort functions inside to make the rest periods as peaceful as possible; but with the increased number of electrical features now commonplace on these types of vehicles, additional power is needed during engine-off periods.
The maintenance process at Lenehan’s is to check each vehicle every five weeks, which includes a battery test. Very often the tests find that the batteries fitted as original equipment (traditional flooded lead-acid batteries), are not lasting much longer than 12 months before requiring replacement.
The operation of the refrigeration equipment, and therefore the performance of the battery on board, is vital to the business. To address this, the company’s fleet manager began looking for a longer lasting battery, one that avoided costly breakdowns during a trip across Europe.
In December 2017 the mechanics at Lenehan’s sought advice on which VARTA CV battery product would be recommended as a best ‘fit for purpose’ option, with the C40 EFB being trialled and tested. Lenehan Transport was delighted with the performance of the VARTA C40 and they were rolled out across the fleet.
In 2019, additional electrical consumers such as I Coolers were introduced on the trucks. Also introduced were AdBlue tanks, taking up extra space which often make an end of frame installation close to the rear axle necessary, meaning the fitted batteries were subject to increased vibration. High robustness and vibration resistance was therefore required.
The VARTA ProMotive A1 AGM battery was designed in conjunction with leading vehicle manufacturers and is now fitted as original equipment by five of the big six, says VARTA, adopting this technology in their newest vehicles.
It is said to offer six times the cycle life of a conventional battery, and the capacity to be cycled to 80 per cent depth of discharge and still start the engine, as compared to 50 per cent depth of discharge for a conventional battery. It recharges up to 50 per cent faster than conventional batteries, adds the manufacturer, and is also 100 per cent leak proof.
Lenehan’s fitted the A1 AGM batteries to its trucks in 2019, and as of January 2022 they have experienced no battery issues, no jumpstarts and are still in good working order according to the five-weekly checks.
Fleet manager at Lenehan Transport, Derek Lenehan, said: “Fitting the VARTA AGMs has been a game changer. Not only do these batteries last much longer than the traditional batteries fitted before, but we have had no vehicle breakdowns or missed delivery slots as a result of battery failure – it’s really improved our business, plus the overall cost of battery purchases has gone down. I’m delighted with this product.”
