The Terex Optima 55-foot aerial device, powered by the HyPower SmartPTO by Viatec, is mounted on an International Class 7 Medium Duty electric chassis.
“By leveraging and combining two proven and separate solutions – SmartPTO technology with the International eMV Series electric chassis from Navistar – Terex Utilities brought this electric bucket truck to customers two years ahead of industry projections in 2022,” said Joe Caywood, Director of Marketing and Product Management.
The Terex EV bucket trucks have been going into service and operating in most regions of the U.S. and Canada since last year.
“As other manufacturers are developing and prepare to launch their EV bucket trucks, we have them in the field operating. We’ve found that customers who are experiencing the greatest success integrating these all-electric trucks into their fleets have a clear understanding of their routes, duty cycles, and developed a plan to access charging to get the benefits of running EV bucket trucks,” said Caywood.
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“We’ve also learned that range anxiety truly exists. Humans are wired to look at a tank of fuel to determine how many more miles they can go until it’s empty,” Caywood said. “Determining range with EVs is still new and varies with driver behavior and payload. There is anxiety anytime the battery charge starts to get below 50 percent. We initially communicated that our EV bucket truck has a 135-mile range but have found that with fully loaded trucks and current driver patterns it is closer to 100- to 110-mile range. This is still within many profiles of electric utility bucket trucks that we review the telematics data.”
Caywood continued, “The real value to our all-electric bucket truck solution is that it’s out in the field – and it’s working. Crews also have the extra peace of mind to know that the Terex system is setup so that the boom operation is powered by the separate SmartPTO power source and does not take range away from the chassis.”
SmartPTO is self-contained and has a small footprint. It easily integrates on most equipment. It powers the primary unit and auxiliary functions, lights and optionally the cab A/C. Operators can easily switch from the engine on conventional chassis to SmartPTO, eliminating excessive engine idling, reducing emissions, and decreasing engine-related expenses.
“This is a great option for those fleets not quite ready to switch over to the all-electric solution or utilize the bucket for storm response,” said Caywood. While many initial buyers of Terex equipment with Viatec SmartPTO specified the ePTO on new orders, you don’t have to wait until you are replacing equipment to integrate this solution. SmartPTO can be installed at any of the 21 Terex Service Centers around the country. “With field installation available for upfitting equipment, there’s no reason for fleet managers to wait to support sustainability initiatives,” said Caywood.
