In automated intralogistics systems, choosing the right battery for an AGV is one of the most critical aspects in ensuring operational continuity, energy efficiency, and reduced management costs.
An incorrectly sized battery can compromise the performance of the entire system, causing:
- insufficient autonomy
- inefficient charging cycles
- unplanned machine downtime
- reduced productivity
- increased maintenance costs
For this reason, when designing an industrial AGV vehicle, it is essential to carefully evaluate the technical characteristics of the lithium battery and its integration with the vehicle’s control system.
To support designers and integrators, we have prepared a technical checklist for choosing the right battery for industrial AGVs.
Why the battery is essential in industrial AGVs
When designing or integrating an AGV, the battery is no longer just a power source, but an intelligent component integrated into the vehicle’s electronic architecture. Modern lithium batteries for AGVs must guarantee:
- System voltage – must be compatible with the vehicle’s electrical architecture and installed traction systems.
- Energy capacity – determines the AGV’s operating autonomy and must be sized according to several other factors.
- Battery life cycles – one of the key advantages of lithium batteries for AGVs compared to traditional lead-acid batteries is the higher number of charge and discharge cycles.
- Opportunity charging capability – allows short and frequent charging sessions during the vehicle’s operational breaks, avoiding long downtime periods.
- Integration with the vehicle control system – ensures real-time monitoring, optimized energy management, operational safety, and advanced diagnostics.
- Fieldbus communication – enables real-time monitoring of essential information.
For example, in modern AGV systems, the battery often communicates with the vehicle controller through CAN bus using the CANopen protocol.
The CiA 418 profile defines how a battery module must expose its operational parameters on the network, making information such as state of charge, temperature, and capacity available.
This allows the AGV system to monitor the vehicle’s energy status in real time and manage charging cycles more efficiently.
The complete technical checklist
To support designers, integrators, and OEMs in selecting the most suitable battery, we have prepared a complete technical checklist dedicated to batteries for industrial AGVs.
The guide includes:
- battery sizing criteria
- comparison between lithium and lead-acid batteries
- integration with AGV systems
- CANopen communication
- safety parameters
- life cycle management
The checklist will help you to:
- correctly size the battery
- avoid integration errors
- improve AGV system reliability
