Engineering advancements are producing more efficient alternators for heavy trucks and helping to reduce the fuel bills of company fleets.
Truck-leasing provider Aim NationaLease says these improvements include better cooling thanks to additional wound metal coils which reduce internal resistance.
The company says new technology to sense the voltage remotely at the battery allows charging at a higher voltage, which further increases efficiency.
A truck’s alternator converts mechanical power from the engine to electricity, which it uses to power all the truck’s electrical systems and keep batteries charged.
New low-speed alternators can deliver up to 180 amps of current, even when a vehicle is driving at speeds well below those reached on motorways – experts suggest their efficiency has risen from a low of 55% several decades ago to as high 80% today.
A recent report suggested the UK Chancellor could save £126 million and slash pollution by closing a tax loophole encouraging delivery trucks to use red diesel.
