As industrial vehicle manufacturers turn to electrification with battery electric and hybrid powertrains, a number of companies are looking at optimum ways to charge batteries.
Delta-Q Technologies, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is a manufacturer of industrial battery chargers for lead acid and lithium-ion batteries. More than 3 million electric vehicles and industrial machines use the company’s products. A few of the companies Delta-Q works with include Toro, Wacker Neuson Corp. and JLG Industries.
Rod Dayrit, director of business development, Delta-Q, has been with the company for four years. An engineer, Dayrit paints a big picture scenario of how stricter emission limits, noise restrictions, cost savings and flexibility to work longer shifts come together with battery-powered equipment.
Dayrit sees a number of solutions evolving for manufacturers when it comes to electrification, including battery electric and hybrid powertrains. The change from lead acid to lithium-ion batteries is still in its infancy, he says.
“Lithium solutions are starting to gain momentum due to the key benefits it brings versus current lead acid-based chemistries,” Dayrit says. “As the cost of lithium continues to drop, it will drive the growth of more lithium solutions in the marketplace.”
Dayrit says the maintenance and intelligence aspects of the lithium battery versus lead acid favors the lithium product.
“By going lithium, you literally have the ability to trace the state of health, battery degradation and make it as intelligent as possible,” Dayrit says.
Delta-Q is focused on the construction market, working heavily on electrification strategies with many top companies looking to transition mainly for environmental reasons.
“Companies are getting pushed heavily on regulation,” Dayrit says. “Predominantly, it’s starting in Europe, but is leaning back to North America as well.”
Markets traditionally powered by engines now are finding a case for electrification. Delta-Q recently announced the launch of a new three-in-one charging solution. Production begins in the first half of 2022 on the Delta-Q XV3300, a 3.3kW charger that will be available in 58.8V, 65V and 120V models and is scalable, allowing OEMs to stack chargers for power levels up to 20kW.
“Anything from two-handed tools to excavators to skid steers to track loaders to backhoes,” Dayrit says of the battery-powered equipment. “Higher power solutions, like our XV3300, are enabling a path to charging solutions needed for this market.”
As for the future of battery-powered equipment versus the internal combustion engine (ICE), Dayrit says there is going to be a bit of financial mind-play occurring. Companies must determine how much upfront investment they want to make versus long-term investment.
“Emissions are only going to get stricter,” Dayrit says. “At the end of the day, it’s all about carbon emissions affecting our environment. Do you want to continue to invest in developments that need to be looked at on a time scale, or do you just spend upfront capital now to go to a solution that’s zero emissions? That’s kind of the struggle right now and balance companies are going through.”
Dayrit says the equipment rental market is becoming one of the biggest advocates for electrification and transition to lithium because they are looking for reliable, robust, high-performance solutions.