Transtex launches DClimate Lithium Pro

Transtex launched the DClimate Lithium Pro, an electric APU that uses a LiFePO4 battery pack with four starting batteries in a hybrid configuration, at the 2025 American Trucking Associations' Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting in Nashville. 

The DClimate Lithium Pro is a "more efficient, reliable, and maintenance-friendly solution compared to traditional APU systems," explained Martin Duffy, head of Transtex's DClimate Division. "Its hybrid battery configuration not only optimizes performance but also simplifies retrofitting—making it easier for fleets to install on trucks already in operation."

Versus traditional lithium-ion batteries, LiFePO4 batteries have less risk of overheating and thermal runaway, while also featuring a longer cycle life, though have a lower energy desnity and thus less storage capacity. 

The hybrid configuration adds to the APUs reliability and efficiency, as does the component’s 10-year system life. Requiring minimal maintenance, the Lithium Pro delivers 15% more available energy per cycle, the company said, and offers 6.7 kW hours of energy storage.

Then, once the system is fully depleted, fast, bidirectional charging allows the system to fully recharge within 2-2.5 hours of drive time, Duffy said. Additionally, the system is designed to work with drivers’ 34-hour rest time, minimizing the idle time required for the APU to recharge while a driver is recuperating. According to Duffy, the Lithium Pro will reach about 40% state of charge from empty after only one hour of idling.

“In that 60 minutes, if you have a fully depleted lithium-ion battery, you get back to about 40% state of charge, and that is the sweet spot of balance between idle time versus how many times the truck will need to restart in that extended rest period,” Duffy stated.

This 60-minute charge jump is due to the eAPU’s rapid-charging feature, which works to bring the component up from 0-80% state of charge (SOC). Then the component’s intelligent battery management feature, which includes an auto start/stop function, helps slow charging once it’s over 80% SOC, while also helping to preserve the APUs starting batteries. The bidirectional charging also supports wet-cell and AGM batteries, too.

Finally, the Lithium Pro is a modular solution that has cut 150 lbs. from its weight in comparison to prior DClimate APUs, the company said. The decreased weight is due to using a single li-ion battery instead of four auxiliary AGM batteries, increasing vehicle fuel efficiency.

“Its modular design allows for easy transfer between trucks, maximizing the return on investment for fleets and making it adaptable to changing needs,” Duffy noted. The system also provides climate control with its air flow system to eliminate hot spots.

Transtex, known for aerodynamic solutions for trailers such as side skirts, acquired DClimate last summer.

"We've built our reputation on trailer aerodynamics, developing industry leading technology that helps cut fuel consumption and emission while improving bottom line," Transtex President Mathieu Desjardins asserted at the press event. "But as the industry evolved, so do the challenges we face, rising fuel costs, emission regulation and growing demand for driver comfort."