GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT BATTERY MARKET
KEY FINDINGS
- Global lead production is expected to decline by 5.2% to 4.5 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late December 2019 significantly impacted the Battery industry in the first half of 2020 and partially regaining in further months.
- Several mines and plants had to temporarily cease production activities due to the shortage of workers who could not return to mine sites and followed by transportation issues due to the lockdown. Although most of the lead producers gradually restarted mine operations, lower demand from the automotive sector to constrain mine production in 2020.
- Lead-acid batteries contain up to 80% recycled, purified lead – making the recycled lead a very valuable material. Because of the success of recycled lead, the market for extracting and reselling used lead has grown substantially.
- Nearly 6 million tons of lead are used around the world, with over 4 million tons used in lead-acid batteries. Substantial quantities of this lead consumption come from recycled materials
INTRODUCTION
Convectional Batteries have been developed and have mastered the technology for a long time when it comes to future mobility; Lithium-ion batteries come into the vision of manufacturers; because of faster charging, high energy density, lower self-discharge and better power efficiency.
Heavy construction machinery, requires a high level of system voltage and energy. While lead-acid batteries are low-cost with high Technology readiness levels, their cycle life is limited, leading to the usable life of less than 3 years assuming one cycle per day.
GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT BATTERY MARKET DYNAMICS
The new generation of lithium-ion batteries, which are more stable than previous incarnations, and have a high energy density, but not for general use across its range.
Safety, cost and recyclability are also still to be perfected and the upcoming potential source is fuel cells, these are the devices that generate electricity from hydrogen contained in tanks along with help of oxygen. But Lead-acid batteries are ruling the market currently, with its high availability and less expensive with mastered technology.
Batteries should be capable of higher starting output and vibration resistance than standard automobile batteries. So, battery manufacturers are working towards the improvement of the AGM battery line to increase deep cycling performance and making components work together to maintain the battery cell structure during deep-cycling, limit acid stratification, and inhibit internal shorts and providing solutions to the customers to achieve maximum battery capacity over the life of their fleet, by making sure the batteries are fully charged before they are put into use. Secondly, the batteries receive regularly scheduled maintenance. This includes proper watering, opportunity charging and performing an equalization charge after the first discharge and recharge (cycle).
With more demands being placed on the electrical system through added sensors, cameras, navigation systems and collision radar, more companies are seeing the advantage of absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries and the overall trade-off with their price and longevity.
AGM batteries are more efficient than your typical flooded battery, these batteries have the advantages of high power of starting even at a low state of charge, higher shelf-life, more vibration resistance than traditional flooded batteries.
PREFERRED BATTERY RATINGS BY REGIONS
| SL No | Vehicle Type | U.S. | EUROPE | INDIA |
| 1 | Crawler Excavator | 800 – 1200CCA | 20 – 135 Amp | 75 – 170 Amp |
| 3 | Backhoe Loader | 850-1000CCA | 55 – 135 Amp | 100 – 140 Amp |
| 4 | Articulated Trucks | 850-1500CCA | 65 – 310 Amp | 136 – 160 Amp |
| 5 | Dozers | 900-1500CCA | 85 – 300 Amp | 100 – 200 Amp |
| 6 | Wheeled loaders | 800 – 1200CCA | 65 – 180 Amp | 120 – 180 Amp |
| 8 | Dump Trucks | 1500CCA | 200 Amp | 200 Amp |
GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT BATTERY MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
The global construction equipment battery market is estimated at $XX Billion in 2020 and growing at XX% CAGR till 2025.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
U.S battery has developed AGM Deep Cycle batteries with updated features such as the use of thick positive alloy grids for high levels of corrosion resistance, high-density positive active material, and advanced glass mat separators.
Nikola Motor Co introduced a new battery technology with an energy density of 1,100 watt-hours per kg on the material level and 500 watt-hours per kg on the production cell level. The prototype of this battery removes binder material and current collectors, enabling more energy storage within the cell.
OEMs are developing batteries as per the manufacturing partner’s specifications, construction machines have harshest operating conditions keeping this in mind their R&D centers looking to improve the current technology for the betterment of battery usage by all parameters.
