Veloris highlights seasonal battery demand

Although the end of spring and the start of the summer season might see a decline in traditional battery sales, with the improving weather and longer days comes an upturn in leisure activities. These bring fresh opportunities, according to Veloris.

By diversifying stock profiles, the needs of leisure enthusiasts can be met – whether they meander along the river, seek pastures new in a motorhome, caravan, or on two wheels.

Veloris says it provides access to the products needed to tap into this profitable market, sales for which are notably driven by a desire for lifestyle improvement, rather than because of a forced distress purchase.

Not just batteries…

Alongside batteries, Veloris supplies a range of chargers, solar panels, and inverters, as well as ancillary products, such as battery boxes and, for caravan enthusiasts, motor movers to allow them to manoeuvre their unit.

Motor movers, however, require a reliable power source, and with a lithium mover battery, they have the power they need. The MVP27 from ACES Energy, for example, has a built-in intelligent charger and includes a terminal set and mounting plate for quick and secure installation. It can also be continuously connected without overcharging, so the mover is ready to go whenever it’s needed.

Alongside the Numax brand, owned by Veloris, as well as Exide and VARTA, there is the Rolls Battery offering. With a range of lithium batteries that provide thousands of charge/discharge/charge cycles, the Rolls Battery VB series presents an option that is available in multiple case sizes and at a “highly competitive” price point.

All models feature built-in Bluetooth monitoring, an automatic self-heating system for reliable cold weather performance, and a broad range of Ah capacities.

Veloris claims the batteries’ cyclic life is “exceptional,” and they have a wide range of applications. The integrated smart technology optimises charge acceptance, regardless of whether the battery is connected to a mains power source, a generator, or a solar panel.

NCC verification

To help users identify the batteries that will best suit their needs, the National Caravan Council (NCC), which represents the UK caravan industry, has introduced its Verified Leisure Battery Scheme.

So, to cater for the growing consumer demand for NCC-verified batteries, Veloris, an NCC member since 2016, has options to choose from. NCC-verified leisure batteries are tested by the battery manufacturer and then verified by the NCC, considering their minimum capacity and the minimum number of life cycles at 50% depth of discharge. They are then allocated into one of three classes:

• Class C is for situations where the power consumption is low and used with an electrical hook-up – 70 marks the threshold for the minimum number of cycles.
• Class B for higher consumption conditions, where a motor mover is used, for example, but still generally used with an electrical hook-up and a minimum of 200 cycles.
• Class A is for applications frequently used without an electrical hook-up and delivers a minimum of 350 cycles.

Veloris says the scheme ensures it is easy to identify which batteries on the market are quoting accurate, verified specifications, which gives consumers confidence that the battery they are considering is fit for purpose and will perform as advertised – the company says it has more than 50 NCC-verified batteries from manufacturers, including Exide, VARTA, Lucas, Numax, Odyssey, and now Rolls.

On your bike!

Spring and early summer are also the times when riders dust off their machines, only to find the battery has discharged over the winter. Veloris says this presents a “great opportunity” to supply them with a quality replacement; however, to prevent the same issue from recurring the following season, the battery should be supplemented with the addition of an intelligent charger to sit alongside it, to ensure that the battery is always in peak condition.

Veloris, a distribution partner for the CTEK charger brand, offers a range of options; for instance, the XS 0.8, CTEK’s smallest 12V charger, is suitable for charging smaller batteries and performing maintenance charging on normal-sized car batteries.

The XS 0.8 is a compact, fully automatic, six-step charger that delivers 0.8A and charges 12V batteries from 1.2 to 32Ah and delivers maintenance charging up to 100Ah.

Its other features include a ‘connect and forget’ function, which means it can be connected almost indefinitely, as it provides a maintenance charge for long-term use, as well as safety qualities such as spark-free operation, reverse polarity protection, and short circuit immunity. All this also comes with a five-year warranty.

The Veloris motorcycle battery offering includes Lucas and Numax, both the company’s own brands, as well as OE options from VARTA and Exide.

Solar options

For those who enjoy the outdoors and like to experience life off-grid or take their holidays far away from a mains power source, solar panel solutions are an option; that said, Veloris says they must be used in conjunction with a suitable controller to manage and regulate the charging process.

The company claims panel kits can be an excellent solution to offer alongside any leisure battery sales as they contain the panels, controller, cabling, and mounting system – in one package. Single and twin panel kits range from 60 to 175W.

In conclusion

As identified by Veloris, the leisure battery sector could represent an opportunity that extends well beyond traditional seasonal replacement sales. From caravans and motorhomes to motorcycles and off-grid applications, leisure activities and independent travel are helping to drive demand for higher performance energy solutions and supporting products.

According to Veloris, by stocking a broader range of leisure batteries, chargers, solar solutions, and related accessories, changing customer demands can be met, and average transaction values can be increased.

As the warmer months encourage motorists to spend more time on the road, the company believes the aftermarket is well placed to benefit from a category increasingly driven by lifestyle, convenience, and reliability rather than emergency replacement alone.