Southern California Edison Battery Addition
Southern California Edison battery equipped service truck.
Service trucks with overhead lifts powered by lithium-ion batteries are being put into service at Southern California Edison.
The utility company recently added two such trucks to its fleet, according to an article this August on insideedison.com.
The batteries are the same as those used in plug-in electric cars, the article noted. They power the lift on two “troubleman” trucks, which are used by troublemen to investigate power outages.
The battery-powered system enables a troubleman to shut off the truck’s engine while the lift is in use, the article said.
“Without batteries, the lift’s hydraulic system would be powered by the truck’s transmission, requiring the vehicle to idle during operation,” the article noted.
The utility plans to acquire 22 more of the units.
