TUAL reveals solution for electric van range problems
TUAL, an innovator in electric commercial vehicle charging solutions, has revealed its new PowerBank Pro-Charging offering – with the mission of revolutionising vehicle charging and transforming electric commercial vehicle productivity. It has been developed together with some of Europe’s largest fleet operators.
Prioritising electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs) as a core vehicle, TUAL’s technology provides solutions for fleet operators and vehicle OEMs needing to meet the challenges presented by charging.
Van operator needs are currently not served by eLCV offerings on the market, with driving range and vehicle charging challenges creating a significant cost burden on businesses. With 40% of van use-cases exceeding real-world eLCV ranges, and 70% of van drivers unable to charge at home or depot, lost productivity from charging downtime can cost fleets up to £150,000 per driver or vehicle over a five-year period, says TUAL.
Developed from the ground up, TUAL’s modular powerbank solutions have been optimised to help fleets overcome grid and vehicle constraints. The only on-demand battery system that’s scalable across OEMs, TUAL powerbanks are compatible with vehicle manufacturers’ existing platforms – with seamless installation facilitated by integration kits offered with each solution.
The powerbank technology can be leveraged across a range of use-cases for fleets. TUAL offers a suite of solutions for commercial fleet operators to take control of their charging operations – freeing them from reliance on public charging infrastructure, while maximising vehicle uptime and profitability.
For vans unable to home-charge or return to depot, Vehicle ReCharge powerbank technology provides overnight charging regardless of location – delivered by charge collected on the return journey. Once the driver returns to the depot, they are able to swap powerbanks in 90 seconds, ensuring minimal disruption to the vehicle’s schedule.
TUAL’s Range Extender enables vehicle deployment for long-range duty cycles, beyond their standard driving range. Taking a powerbank with them during daily operations, drivers can park up their vans while the system charges the vehicle’s battery each time it’s parked.
For operators that require auxiliary power beyond what’s available from the van itself, the Portable Power solution delivers off-grid energy on demand – giving drivers the opportunity to run auxiliary equipment and charge other vehicles on-the-go.
Philip Clarke, CEO and founder of TUAL, said:
Providing van fleets with guaranteed access to the energy they need, at the time and place of their choosing, plays a critical role in transforming vehicle suitability, driver satisfaction and fleet profitability. That is what TUAL has been founded to achieve and that is what PowerBank has been developed to facilitate. We are on track on the journey from product development and prototyping to full-scale manufacturing and the scope of the technology is exciting for us, with the business looking in future to expand into haulage, agriculture, emergency services and defence fleets. Focusing our initial offering on the eLCV, we’re committed to delivering the tools they need to make a success of their transition to electric power.