Swappable batteries set to revolutionise the power industry

Paul Bramhall, Director Electrification & Rental EMEA, from Briggs & Stratton discusses the benefits of the new Vanguard Si 1.5kWh battery and what it brings to the growing power rental market.

tHE BATTERY MARKET is growing swiftly with demand across multiple industries increasing. Driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and work towards a “greener future”, the push for electrification is affecting businesses of all sizes. With the cost of battery powered equipment on the rise compared to traditional combustion engines, users can face the uncomfortable situation of having to choose between meeting sustainability goals or boosting profit margins. This is when the option of rental equipment can provide a workable solution that avoids large upfront fees and reduces costs.

The global construction equipment rental market alone has grown to over $73.4 billion with a majority market share held in North America and throughout Europe.* Forward projections suggest that this market could surpass a value of over $105 billion by 2030, presenting an increasingly promising opportunity for battery manufacturers to tap into.

Rental equipment helps companies to reduce their bottom line and lower their total cost of ownership. Rather than purchasing equipment outright, which comes with high costs, maintenance fees, insurance and long-term storage needs, renters can access the best products on the market for a reduced fee without putting their own capital at risk. This is particularly beneficial for businesses new to the market, which do not yet have the capacity to take on expensive equipment and therefore need to find alternative solutions that still meets their needs. Whilst rental equipment offers great benefits for the end user, there can be difficulties when it comes to battery powered applications. Recent market trends have seen OEMs try to offer an all-in-one solution approach that leads to sub-par batteries and creates further issues for the end user. To make the rental market more inviting, more needs to be done to limit the number of batteries required to get the job done, ultimately making things easier for the end user. Rather than multiple batteries, each requiring its own power cable, charging facility and user manual, solutions that can be integrated across multiple machines will vastly improve accessibility and efficiency.

To achieve this, OEMs need to work with power suppliers to develop equipment solutions that meet these growing needs. With multiple machines in use across construction sites, manufacturing plants and landscaping grounds, renters could otherwise be forced to accommodate an untenable number of batteries, each with individual charging systems. This would put more pressure on space requirements and overheads, pushing higher costs on the renter and making the move to rental equipment an inefficient and undesirable option.

As battery power becomes the increasing norm, OEMs will need power suppliers capable of providing a power-agnostic approach whereby their power solutions can be used across a wide range of machines to better serve the growing rental market. The newly launched Vanguard 48V Si 1.5kWh Swappable Battery pack from Briggs & Stratton aims to serve this need by providing a battery that can be easily moved from application to application on active jobsites, reducing downtime for the end user and therefore boosting efficiency and productivity.

Making use of effective swappable batteries
With the ability to be used across multiple machines, rental users can easily move the Si 1.5kWh between applications. The integrated battery management system (BMS) and CANbus J1939 communicate with the application to adjust the discharge rate and ensure effective power output without damaging the battery. This helps to reduce reliance on multiple batteries and streamlines rental company service offerings. Rather than sending out numerous pieces of equipment, each with their own charger and charging recommendations, rental companies can supply one type of charger to charge one type of battery and still power multiple applications.

As different machines used by renters will each have different power requirements, it is important that they are powered by scalable batteries. These battery formats are ideal as they can be stacked in parallel to achieve the desired input required to power each of the individual applications. The Si 1.5kWh battery has been designed with this in mind, with the option for up to 10 batteries to be used in parallel to achieve an overall power of 15kWh. As not all applications will require ten batteries, those not in use can be charged to ensure that the user has access to battery power as and when it is needed.

The resulting process is far more streamlined compared to fixed solutions, which require downtime to replenish energy capacity. Batteries will always require charging, this is unavoidable, but the availability of multiple units will maximise equipment usage in the rental period, delivering the most value by providing more efficient working operations and enabling users to deliver effective results more easily. With the easy latch system on the Swappable Battery, users can swiftly replace a battery when it runs out of charge. This system also allows users to move the battery between applications to tackle a wide range of tasks.

Moving towards standardised power will reduce reliance on traditional combustion engines and enable end users to move closer to their environmental targets. It will require OEMs to work collectively with power providers and rental companies to find solutions suited to multiple machines, while ensuring power requirements are met and equipment is user-friendly for efficient and effective application.

Current factors affecting the market
Currently, there is a growing focus from OEMs to develop their own in-house batteries to power their equipment. With the intention of creating all-in-one packages, this fast-paced movement towards electrification is seeing many OEMs race to develop power solutions and failing to meet the demands of the end user. Instead, OEMs need to look outwards to power specialists who can advise on the right solution for the unique power capabilities of each application in development. Power specialists, such as Briggs & Stratton, have vast experience in developing power solutions that meet the needs of the end user. As an independent power provider, they can work with a wide range of OEMs to develop power solutions suited to the equipment in question. By working with an independent power specialist, rental companies can select from a wide range of manufacturers to meet customer needs, safe in the knowledge that they will not need to rent out multiple batteries and chargers to each user.

Instead, the renter themselves can reduce their space costs by streamlining their equipment to run off one type of battery. The rental company can offer equipment from a range of OEMs, but the power source for each machine will be the same. This helps to reduce manufacturing pressure and, in turn, reduce the need for mining new materials.

Next steps for OEMs
When it comes to developing unique applications to meet the demands of the growing electrification market, it is important to engage collaboratively with effective power providers. That way OEMs can develop unique applications that will improve efficiency and execution for your target audience. With the growing opportunities that the rental market offers, connecting with companies like Briggs & Stratton will enable OEMs to capitalise on the growing demand for electrified equipment.

As companies continue to explore ways to reduce their emissions quotas to meet growing customer demand and reduce their overall environmental impact, it is important to find power solutions that can meet demand without compromising overall performance. To achieve this, agnostic power specialists who understand your power needs and deliver a bespoke solution will provide the best way forward.

This has never been a more pressing issue for the rental hire market, where diverse ranges of equipment are available to customers. In a traditional, fossil fuel-led approach, end users can easily make use of the same petrol source in each machine. However, as manufacturers look to move to battery power, there are growing concerns over the different battery platforms that rental companies will need to deal with.

Overcoming these concerns requires an agnostic power solution that can be used across multiple brands and a wide range of machines. Breaking away from closed-off battery platforms to work collectively with other OEMs using the same battery platform will help to reduce the number of batteries in production – a vital step towards the ultimate goal of a greener future.

*study by Grand View Research: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/construction-equipment-rental-market

Paul Bramhall, Director Electrification & Rental EMEA, from Briggs & Stratton