Veloris: what’s happening in the CV battery market?
As commercial vehicles (CVs) fitted with advanced battery technology as original equipment (OE) start reaching the age where they need replacing, independent workshops and fleet operators are likely to see more AGM and GEL batteries than they have previously been used to, says battery distributor Veloris.
“Operating across the UK and Ireland, France, Benelux and Spain, Veloris is able to track battery technology in multiple vehicle parcs, and how those markets are developing is something UK workshops and operators need to be aware of,” said the distributor.
“Although start/stop EFB batteries have already made their way into the market without much drama – because fundamentally, as the name suggests, they are an enhanced version of conventional flooded batteries, and rarely cause problems if fitted as a like-for-like replacement – AGM and GEL technology is an entirely different proposition.
“Both technologies are specified by vehicle manufacturers (VMs) for applications with genuine sustained electrical demand while the engine isn’t running. These include refrigeration units, telematics and tracking systems, cab electronics, and extended ‘hotel mode’ running, during driver rest periods.
“In tandem, regulatory and commercial pressure is exposing operators to longer waiting times at ports and borders, tighter driver/hours compliance, and telematics becoming a requirement for fleets of every size, not just long-distance hauliers.”
Although Veloris’ European data shows that the adoption of AGM technology in the UK is running well behind Benelux and Spain, these domestic pressures mean that the gap is closing, the firm warns.
“The implication for workshops and operators is therefore straightforward: vehicles built for pan-continental extended running are already on UK roads, and UK specification vehicles are increasingly being built and used the same way.
“Another aspect that it’s important to address is that the two battery technologies developed to meet the changing needs of these modern highly electrically demanding vehicles – AGM and GEL – are not interchangeable.
“GEL batteries have been pioneered by manufacturers such as Exide, as an OE answer for exactly the same ‘hotel mode’ and deep cycle draw that AGM batteries are designed to deliver, but via a different chemistry.
“As a result, two vehicles with almost identical auxiliary electrical loads, but from different VMs might well require replacement batteries of different chemistry. Should a workshop fit the wrong one, at best they will get a battery that underperforms against the load it’s under, and at worst it will have to be replaced again only a few months later as it begins to fail.”
Focusing on the OE-fitted GEL batteries, Veloris says that, although many have gone through their replacement cycle within the VM dealer networks, its data indicates this is likely to change as those vehicles age and drop out of warranty and dealer servicing arrangements, and start to move to independent workshops for their routine service and repair.
“Being aware of these differences in advance allows workshops to be proactive and implement a policy to check the OE specification to ensure they only have to do the job once, and fit a replacement of the correct technology, first time.
“However, that is only part of the story, as these different battery technologies also require the appropriate charging and support equipment.
“An AGM or GEL battery charged using equipment with the incorrect algorithms or charging cycle can be damaged, undercharged, or simply not perform to the load it’s designed for, which for a vehicle with genuine sustained auxiliary draw, is as bad as fitting a battery of the wrong chemistry.”
In addition to prominent OE brands such as Exide and VARTA and respected aftermarket equivalents from Lucas and Numax, Veloris is also a supply partner for Ctek, one of the leading experts in charging and support equipment.
“For CV workshops and operators, the Ctek MXT 14 is a great option as it’s built specifically for 24-volt CV batteries, is rated between 28-500Ah, is IP44-protected against dust and moisture, and with explicit charging programs for AGM and GEL alongside WET, MF and Ca/Ca, it addresses the needs for both current and emerging battery technologies,” said Veloris.
