Maximize fleet uptime and cut costs with all-electric lithium-powered APUs

In the world of heavy-duty trucking, uptime is everything. Every hour a truck is out of service impacts a fleet’s bottom line, yet fleets are often stuck with outdated, breakdown-prone diesel or AGM-based APUs. All-electric, lithium-powered APUs can provide a simple, reliable solution that cuts down on costly maintenance and downtime.

For fleet operators, uptime is paramount. Every minute a truck spends in the shop—whether for a breakdown or a scheduled maintenance check—adds hidden costs. These are the costs of lost revenue, delayed shipments, and frustrated customers, not to mention the stress of waiting for repair appointments. In some cases, fleets report having 20 to 40 diesel APUs break down every single month.

The cost of downtime adds up fast, yet many fleets remain conditioned to rely on legacy technologies that have inherent flaws, such as moving parts that break down, leading to expensive and inconvenient repairs.

The challenge of APU reliability

Diesel and AGM-based APUs—long the mainstay of the trucking industry—are complex, prone to breakdowns, and costly to maintain.

A typical diesel-powered APU has many moving parts, from the engine to the fuel system, that require constant upkeep. When something breaks down, it’s not just about the repair costs. Fleet operators may face long waiting times, with trucks often scheduled for maintenance weeks in advance. Once the truck finally gets into the shop, it’s not uncommon for another urgent repair (such as for frozen or refrigerated inventory) to bump the appointment, meaning more downtime for a truck that isn’t generating revenue.

For fleets using AGM batteries, the issue is often related to the cycling of the battery itself, which wears down over time, leading to poor performance or failure. The result is the same: downtime and maintenance costs—both hidden and visible—piling up.

All-electric APUs: A reliable, low-maintenance solution

This is where an all-electric lithium-ion auxiliary power unit changes the game. LiFePO4 batteries paired with DC-DC converters are a proven, simple technology that eliminates the need for complex, moving parts that break down. These all-electric systems are not only more reliable but also require significantly less maintenance than their diesel or AGM counterparts. They’re designed to handle extreme temperatures, charging cycles, and long operation hours, all without the wear and tear that traditional systems experience.

By replacing traditional diesel or AGM-based APUs with lithium-powered solutions, fleets can reduce their downtime, slash maintenance costs, and improve their operational efficiency.

A maintenance cost comparison: Diesel, AGM, and lithium

Let’s break down the costs associated with each APU type to see why lithium is the superior choice for uptime and long-term savings:

Diesel APUs: These have the highest maintenance costs because of their many moving parts, fuel systems, and exhaust components. In addition, they require frequent servicing, with each repair often costing several hundred to thousands of dollars. The downtime can extend up to weeks, depending on the availability of parts and repair schedules.
AGM-based APUs: AGM units are slightly more reliable than diesel but still suffer from battery wear and tear. Maintenance costs often arise from replacing batteries every few years, along with issues related to charging cycles and system failures.
LiFePO4-based APUs: All-electric APUs are virtually maintenance-free, with no moving parts, and there are fewer points of failure. These systems simply keep running with minimal intervention, and the cost of maintaining them is a fraction of what fleets spend on diesel or AGM systems.

The real impact of downtime

When you add up the time a truck is out of service—waiting for repairs, missing out on scheduled appointments, or getting pushed to the back of the line for urgent repairs—it’s clear that the hidden costs of downtime are steep. These delays affect not just maintenance budgets but also the entire supply chain, from inventory management to on-time delivery commitments.

The reality is that when trucks aren’t making deliveries, fleets lose revenue. And when trucks are idle because of lengthy maintenance schedules, the frustration of dealing with another breakdown only compounds the problem.

The road ahead: Moving toward a low-maintenance future

As fleet operators look to reduce maintenance costs and improve uptime, it’s clear that the future of APUs lies in simple, reliable, all-electric solutions. In a world where downtime can make or break a fleet’s success, lithium-based APUs offer the clear path forward—simple, reliable, and maintenance-free.