What run time, in hours, can a tug or load mover batteries last for?

How long batteries last for depends on many factors. Factors such as battery size, temperature, load, surface friction, caster or wheel resistance, slope, speed, constant speed or repeated acceleration and de-acceleration, motor energy consumption, etc. Generally, you want to follow the battery manufacturer recommendations on draw-down or consumption of available full Ah capacity before recharging to get the stated life out of the battery. Some battery types have different recommended maximum draw-down before recharging. AGM type has recommendations that you don’t use more than 50% or 60% of available full Ah capacity before recharging, on average. However, you should discharge 60% to 70% of the battery’s available capacity upon first use and on occasion throughout the life of the battery. With Lithium-ion you can draw down up to 95% before recharging. However, with Lithium-ion, it is recommended that you ‘opportunity’ charge any time you have a chance to keep the batteries topped up so they last longer. Wet cell batteries, as in our Motive batteries, allows you to draw down to 80% before recharging. Some batteries allow partial charging between uses or fast charging to extend the time batteries last, such as Lithium-ion and forklift style flooded cells with the correct type of charger.

Always store the V-move tow tractor or tug with fully charged batteries if you will not be using the machine for a long time. Charge the batteries at least once every two months. Our battery chargers have an automatic mode that goes into trickle charging when the batteries are fully charged without damaging the batteries. That way the batteries can remain connected to the charger long term without any problem.

Our load mover tugs can last between about 1 hour to 8 hours or more of continuous use on one charge, depending on all the factors stated in this answer. If you want to run the load movers for longer, we offer opportunity chargers that work with most of our larger load mover batteries that allow you to partially charge batteries on breaks and lunch/dinner to keep the batteries topped up.

Currently, our selection of batteries ranges from 24 Volt 20 Ah to 48 Volt 521 Ah (20hr rate). The larger optional capacity batteries, motive batteries, and Lithium-ion offer higher voltage and higher sustained voltage which are best for our tugs and will last longer. Most likely our tug that lasts the longest on a single charge would be the XXL with 420 Ah Lithium-ion.

If you provide us with all the details for your particular use, we can estimate the time our tugs will operate on a full-charged battery and recommend options you have if you need it to last longer.

For further reading about run time, you can find lots of information on the Battery University website.