EPU

300K miles on a Kenworth EPU so far, still the original factory batteries, still plenty of capacity to keep cool or run the fridge etc during hometime. This one is basically and "out and back" truck, so driver basically drives and sleeps, so not a lot of sitting around playing x-box or cooking, or whatever.

 

My truck has the epu. Actually my last 4-5 trucks have and the only one that I had a problem with was a truck I got with already several hundred thousand miles on it. Apparently the company had let it sit for a couple months before I got it and the batteries didn't hold a charge for long.

All the other trucks it works great. My wife is always cooking something in the truck so usually whenever she is cooking I'll idle the truck so the batteries don't get run down. I use a laptop, she does too. We also have a fridge going all the time. Batteries last for a 10 hour break with the ac running but I will sometimes start the truck for 5-10 minutes while sitting in the seat just to keep them topped off before sleeping.

 

My 2019 T680 has EPU and it's great. The AC tends to run the batteries down around 50% after about 6-8 hours, but the diesel fired bunk heater can run for a solid 12 before any drop in voltage. They charge back up to 100% after around 3 hours of driving.

 

A EPU with a added solar panel on top of truck seems like it would be good . Flexible panels are more affordable and efficient these days , along with the truck charging the batteries while driving extending run times and keeping battery topped off . I have seen the setups in RVs .

 

I don't think you'll see a DPF on smaller diesels. Its not the law to have a DPF, all that matters is what leaves the exhaust pipe. Manufacturers can use whatever tech they want in order to achieve clean enough exhaust gas.

Right now most smaller diesels are still running mechanical injection pumps with a catalytic muffler and they meet the current requirements. Upgrade the fuel system to modern electronic pumps/injectors and they could probably still get away with just the catalytic muffler.

 

Freightliner EAPU setup has 8 batteries. I'm not sure if all 8 are running everything or just the 4 extra batteries they put behind sleeper are just for EAPU. It will cool just the sleeper in summer heat and sunlight till about 90F If I remember from last summer. You have to close the sleeper curtain and everything. It will run 8 hours. I think the truck has 285amp alternator from factory.