For years, AC power has been an expensive, added-cost option on electric utility vehicles. By focusing on AC power we've succeeded in eliminating the upgrade cost and have created our most powerful, safest, and most reliable vehicle to date. These are the same reasons that Tesla and all other major automakers producing electric vehicles are using AC motors.
Pack Mule's decision to offer state-of-the-art AC power on its entire line of new NXG vehicles at no extra charge is indeed revolutionary. When combined with Pack Mule's other market-leading features, there is no reason a serious user should ever choose an electric industrial vehicle other than the Pack Mule NXG:
- 245 amp hour batteries (vs. industry standard of 185-210 amp hour batteries)
- Load range C tires (vs. industry-standard load range B tires) are safer and allow for much higher psi inflation, reducing roll friction and increasing runtime.
- Sealed transaxle, wheels, and motor requiring no maintenance.
- Industry-leading 3-year warranty with no hours of use limit (vs. industry-standard 2-year warranty).
Here are a few more reasons why Pack Mule's new NXG Series of AC vehicles is better, some directly and others indirectly attributable to the use of AC.
Pack Mule made AC power standard on all its vehicles to improve performance, lengthen component life, reduce maintenance, and increase safety.
While the AC motor itself enhances run time by 20% to 40% versus DC, Pack Mule's optimized AC system uses enhanced regenerative braking, advanced programming, and control of operation that can boost the Pack Mule NXG to provide nearly double the run time than DC competitors. This leads to fewer interruptions in operations for charging. It also reduces your overall cost of operation by requiring fewer charges per day, thereby extending your battery life. Pack Mule vehicles generally last well beyond 10 years, so the savings in battery replacement costs alone could be in the thousands of dollars for a single vehicle.
The benefits of Pack Mule's dual regenerative braking, automatically engaged whenever the operator's foot is lifted from the accelerator, are greater runtime (since the kinetic energy is returned to the batteries), longer brake component life (since regenerative braking is wear-free and maintenance free), and much safer operation, because the extra braking can provide shorter stops when the vehicle is heavily loaded, towing a large load, or going down an incline.
DC motors usually present at least two maintenance challenges: they are not sealed because of required ventilation, making them subject to contamination from dust, debris, fumes and moisture, and they contain brushes which must be periodically inspected and replaced. Pack Mule's AC motors are virtually maintenance free. They are sealed against outside contamination, and there are no brushes to replace.
DC motors can produce arcing, sparks leaping from the brushes to the commutator, making them hazardous wherever flammable vapors are present (as they often are when batteries are charged). AC motors don't arc, removing the danger of explosion.
The torque-producing characteristics of AC motors are much better aligned with the real-world operation of electric utility vehicles. DC motors deliver very high torque when moving a load from a standing start, generating unnecessary wear on the vehicle's drive train, shortening its useful life and increasing maintenance costs.
Because AC motors can be controlled more effectively by on-board computers, they can ensure smoother stops and changes of direction. This makes the vehicle safer for both the operator and the cargo.
The operating specifications of each vehicle can be programmed to fit the needs of your environment, resulting in more efficient operation, less wasted energy, and increased safety. For instance, speed acceleration parameters can be programmed to fit each application's workloads, safety regulations, tightness of turns, vehicle routing, and other environmental factors.
The torque dynamics of AC motors provide for power when you need it, such as at start-up and when going up inclines. This isn't available with DC motors.
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