“We have been doing research and development related to electric loaders since the 1990s, and our first fully electric loader was introduced in 1997. After working with electric loaders and batteries for decades, we realised that there was no battery pack in the world that would be perfectly optimised for compact loaders. That’s why we decided to start making such products ourselves,” says Mikko Piepponen, chief operating officer, Avant Power Oy.

As the team of engineers started designing the new generation batteries in house, the target was set high: the new batteries had to be 100% safe, their capacity had to be high and the production costs low. Since Avant’s are sold in all parts of the world, the batteries needed to be suitable for all markets. “Creating solutions that seem impossible at first is what gets us going,” says Piepponen. After years of intense work, Avant Power is now launching two new OptiTemp battery packs. These batteries will be used in Avant e5-27 and Avant e5-13, aimed at bringing efficiency and safety of electric loaders to the next level.

Temperature always in control

The new OptiTemp battery packs feature unique immersion lithium ion technology offering Avant users several benefits. Thanks to the great power to volume ratio of the new batteries, it is now possible to work with an electric loader more efficiently than ever. As the name of the batteries implies, a unique thermal management system, OptiTemp, keeps the temperature optimised when the loader is used or plugged into a charger. In the batteries’ submersible structure, all the cells are surrounded by a special liquid. The immersion cooling system controls the temperature and enables work just as efficiently in the summer and winter. In cold weather conditions, the battery automatically pre-heats itself before use, and during operation of the loader, the temperature management system maintains the operating temperature. “Many battery manufacturers tend to forget cold working conditions, but Avant OptiTemp batteries work very well in freezing conditions – all the way down to -30°C, when preconditioned,” Piepponen says.

The OptiTemp system also makes the batteries extremely safe. The specially designed liquid inside the battery modules controls heat transfer from one cell to another. As the cells won’t be overheated, the batteries are extremely safe to use. Another safety solution is the multi-level protection system. All cells inside the battery are protected by fuses and isolated from each other on several different levels. “The world of battery technology is still quite wild regarding safety regulations. For us, safety is an absolute priority. We make batteries which guarantee zero incidents,” Piepponen says.

Avant says that users looking to acquire a new fully electric Avant e5-13 or Avant e5-27 can expect a longer operation time, getting heavier work done, faster charging, longer battery life, working in extreme weather conditions and absolute safety. All this comes with an affordable pricing. Production of the batteries starts in the first quarter of 2023.

Charging

E5 series has three charging options. The loader has a built-in on board charger which enables charging from any 220V outlet. The on board charger is intended mainly for overnight charging.

The ‘400V rapid charging’ stations (16A and 32A versions) are available as an option. The station is easy to move from jobsite to jobsite as it has the Avant quick attach. Rapid charging is intended for charging during the workday.