Kenworth offering Maxwell ultracap Engine Start Module as factory-installed option

Kenworth will now offer the Maxwell Technologies ultracapacitor-based Engine Start Module (ESM) as a factory-installed option on new Kenworth T680 and T880 trucks. Kenworth dealers have offered the ESM as an aftermarket solution since 2011. With increasing demand for reliable truck engine starting, Kenworth is now the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to offer Maxwell’s ESM as a factory-installed option.

Ultracapacitor technology provides high amounts of burst power that is ideally suited for cranking and starting large diesel engines. Additionally, ultracapacitors have a long service life and perform well at cold temperatures. The ESM performs truck engine cranking in temperatures ranging from -40 °F to +149 °F (-40 °C to +65 °C), even when batteries are drained.

The ESM replaces one Group 31 format battery in the truck. The ULTRA 31/1800 is designed for Class 7 and 8 trucks, and delivers 1800 cold cranking amps (CCA) and peak power of 32.8 kW.

Presently, there are more than 2,000 ESMs installed in medium- and heavy-duty trucks in North America, eliminating jump-starts and reducing idling, resulting in lower total cost of operation.