Evaluating Mobile Power Solutions
As utility fleets strive to reduce engine idling, manufacturers are expanding their mobile power offerings with crew productivity in mind. The solutions highlighted here offer three approaches to powering tools, electronics and other jobsite instruments – all without the need to idle your truck.
Altec: Integrated Energy Management
Altec’s Jobsite Energy Management System (JEMS) is designed to reduce idling without compromising performance while delivering power for aerial operations, hydraulic functions, battery charging, lighting, electronics and cab comfort. The factory-installed system combines lithium-ion battery power, fully integrated ePTO, plug-in/mobile charging, performance insights and remote diagnostics in a single energy management solution.
Fleets are increasingly focused on idle reduction to decrease fuel consumption, jobsite noise and emissions, and maintenance and fuel expenses. Because power needs vary by work application, Frank Dean, Altec Green Fleet marketing manager, said Altec recommends evaluating duty cycle, idle hours, PTO use and daily power demand before choosing a system.
The company also advises fleets to track jobsite performance, fuel and maintenance savings, and system diagnostics, as well as monitor utilization by comparing idling versus anti-idling hours. Fleets can monitor these metrics via a proprietary dashboard that provides visibility into overall performance and can help to identify improvement opportunities.
JEMS can materially reduce engine-on time by 80% or more in medium- and heavy-duty applications, according to Altec, particularly on aerial units where hydraulic and auxiliary loads rely on the chassis engine. For every 1,000 idle hours eliminated, an aerial unit with a fuel burn rate of ~1.5 gallons per hour could avoid approximately 1,500 gallons of fuel – nearly $6,000 at an average of $4 per gallon – and roughly 11 to 17 tons of direct CO₂ emissions.
Vanair: Matching Power to the Job
Vanair offers both battery-powered and engine-driven mobile power systems, enabling fleets to select the solution that best matches their application. The company’s EPEQ battery-powered auxiliary equipment provides power for tools, electronics and crew comfort without relying on a truck engine. Battery-powered systems are especially well-suited for enclosed work environments where heat and engine exhaust pose safety risks.
Where greater continuous output is required, Vanair offers compact, engine-driven units that can power equipment without running the truck. The company emphasizes matching the power source to the work to be performed.
Chip Jones, national manager of Vanair’s Electrified Products Group, said idle reduction has become a measurable objective for many utility fleets. Managers are steadily working toward reduction targets of 30-50% while also seeking to lower fuel and maintenance costs and extend chassis life.
Users have reduced idling by as much as 80% in some applications after deploying Vanair’s idle-management technology with EPEQ battery-powered equipment, Jones shared. This has enabled trucks previously idled throughout the workday to primarily operate when traveling between jobsites, translating to reduced fuel consumption, fewer engine hours and less wear without requiring operators to change their daily workflow.
To begin evaluating whether a mobile power solution is right for your fleet, Jones recommended thoroughly reviewing each vehicle’s duty cycle. Industry professionals who understand how trucks are used each day can better select equipment and accessories that naturally integrate into their operations. He noted that idle-reduction initiatives are most successful when the technology supports the crew’s existing workflow, improving ease of adoption while delivering measurable operational savings.
BOSS Industries: Multifunctional Mobile Power
The multifunctional MechanX line from BOSS Industries combines multiple jobsite tools in a lone truck-mounted system, allowing engine shutoff while still providing power for jobsite tools and equipment.
Among the company’s offerings is the BOSSAIR 185G+ PTO-driven underdeck package that delivers an air compressor, generator, welder and jump starter in one integrated system. Chuck Hamilton, director of marketing/OEM sales, said many of today’s fleets are looking beyond idle reduction alone, with a focus on accomplishing more with fewer vehicles. Multifunctional systems support that goal, equipping one truck with the capability to perform tasks that previously required several dedicated units.
BOSS does not provide customer data on idle reduction but has reported growing demand over the past four years for both PTO-driven and stand-alone engine-powered packages. Based on their vehicle and jobsite power requirements, fleets can use the company’s online air and power selector to guide them to the best configuration for their needs.
Evaluation is Essential
Selecting the optimal mobile power solution for your fleet demands a comprehensive understanding of its operating requirements. Manufacturers recommend evaluating vehicle duty cycles, power demands and idle hours before initial deployment, then tracking and analyzing performance to ensure that the chosen solution delivers its anticipated benefits.
About the Author: Grace Suizo has been covering the automotive fleet industry since 2007. She spent six years as an editor for five fleet publications and has written more than 100 articles geared toward both commercial and public sector fleets.