Dragonfly, Velociti Partner to Deploy Lithium-Ion APUs
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NEW ORLEANS — Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp., a provider of lithium-ion batteries and power systems, has partnered with technology deployment company Velociti Inc. to provide its customers with access to Velociti’s Instant ROI and VeloCare programs to install and maintain its systems.
The companies announced their partnership at a March 3 press conference at the 2024 Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition.
Dragonfly Energy, which makes Battle Born batteries, is bringing an electric-powered auxiliary power unit to the heavy-duty truck market. The Battle Born All-Electric APU is designed to run hotel loads in sleeper cabs to help cut down on engine idling and can provide power to liftgates.
Dragonfly Energy said its lithium-ion products are more efficient than traditional diesel-powered APUs and other lead acid-based systems, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions while operating more quietly.
Wade Seaburg, DragonFly Energy’s chief revenue officer, said the company has been building its APUs for several years to power onboard systems in recreational vehicles. About two years ago, the company decided to bring that product line to the trucking industry and set out to retrofit existing trucks with its technology.
A Velociti technician installs Dragonfly Energy's Battle Born All-Electric APU on a truck. (Velociti)
“Some of the fleets have a higher priority about sustainability, and they are engaging with us, and some want to tackle huge miles per gallon improvements, so they engaged with us on that, and it’s really up the culture of the fleet,” Seaburg said.
Dragonfly Energy, based in Reno, Nev., provides batteries and other products to a variety of industries, including heavy-duty trucking, industrial equipment, recreational vehicles, marine vessels and off-grid installations.
The company’s partnership with Velociti is aimed at making it easier for fleet customers to deploy its products.
“We bundle technology hardware, services and support to a single agreement for our customers,” Velociti President Deryk Powell told reporters. “We start by managing the technology installation — the project management piece itself — which is one of the big obstructions keeping fleets from adopting technology that they are otherwise interested in.”
Through its Instant ROI program, Velociti provides deferred billing during the technology installation and extended payment terms on the hardware, software, installation and support so customers can be cash-positive on day one of a technology investment.
The VeloCare program offers proactive monitoring and support for the installed systems, including field repairs by Velociti’s technicians across the country.
In 2022, Velociti announced a similar partnership with Merlin Solar to provide renewable electricity to extend the runtime of battery HVAC systems while reducing the load on the alternator, resulting in fuel savings because switching to solar power reduces idling time.
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