Chasing Lightning: How Vanguard™ Commercial Batteries Transformed a Custom Truck One Source Solution

Custom Truck One Source (Custom Truck) — a leading single-source provider of specialized truck and heavy equipment solutions — recently launched its Lightning PTO at The Utility Expo. Part of the company’s latest line of electric and hybrid-electric chassis and equipment under its Load King banner, the Lightning PTO is an electric PTO designed to power hydraulics, offering customers a hybrid solution compatible with standard 110 AC outlets that can charge during diesel chassis usage.

When Custom Truck set out to find the right commercial battery product to power its Lightning PTO, IFP Motion Solutions (IFP) and Vanguard collaborated on a solution that would offer the right combination of capacity, quality, safety and ease of integration. That solution was the 48V 5kWh* Commercial Battery (Fi5.0).
 

Many needs, one solution

Custom Truck was looking for a way to incorporate the battery into powering the hydraulic system while also making sure they could offer the right runtime and recharge solution for the application. The Fi5.0 pack allows the user to operate the hydraulics on the truck without having to run the engine. This leads to fuel savings, less noise and improved site safety due to quieter operation.

Since the Fi5.0 could be run in parallel with a second pack, Custom Truck was able to achieve 10kWh of capacity and meet its goals. When there was a need for even more power, Vanguard and IFP were able to help engineer a model that incorporated the 48V 7kWh* Commercial Battery (Fi7.0). By integrating the Fi7.0, the team was able to produce additional capacity without needing to expand the Lightning PTO’s footprint.
  

Results that speak for themselves 

In a press release announcing the Load King Lightning PTO, Custom Truck One had this to say:

"Our latest offerings underscore our unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Custom Truck Founder Fred Ross. “The launch is not just about products, but solutions that echo our philosophy — listening and solving the challenges of our industry.”

Here are just a few of the results the Vanguard battery products helped Custom Truck achieve: 

  • Up to 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel savings per year
  • Up to 44.6 tons of CO2 emissions reduction per year
  • Decreased truck maintenance up to 69% 
  • Less hydraulic oil movement wear and tear
  • 85% noise reduction to promote safer job sites
  • Product that meets government 5-minute idle restrictions 

More than a power source

The collaboration and sharing of expertise between Custom Truck, IFP and Vanguard is the secret sauce that made this application project so successful. Between the features of the Vanguard battery that made it simple to integrate and the application engineering experience from Vanguard and IFP, the process was easy and seamless. Plus, Custom Truck and its customers know the Lightning PTO solution is backed by Briggs & Stratton’s robust service and support network as the batteries are put to work out in the field.

To learn more about how Vanguard can help find the right power source for whatever your job calls for, visit our website.