What does the term "Duty Cycle" mean?

Our use of this term refers to the amount of time a vehicle is used to perform certain tasks. This is most often related to cargo capacity, towing, and hill climbing situations. 

Specifically related to cargo, the specifications for each model are indeed maximums, reflecting the vehicle operating at its absolute limits. For example, a Heavy Duty Payloader with a 3000lb cargo load is operating at its absolute limit. Operating any piece of machinery at its absolute limit can lead to premature failures. In these situations, it’s suggested to move to the next duty package, in this case the Super Duty Payloader. 

For towing and hill climbing, this connects directly to the drive system configuration. We use the duty cycle to determine the thermal capacity needed for the motor used, and may suggest a change in gear ratio to reduce the electrical strain on the system. An example of this would be a standard utility version of a Utilitruck with a 5kW motor and 10.37 gear ratio. Can it climb a 25% grade? Yes. Can it do it all day? No. While it has the power to do it, it requires it to operate at its absolute limit. This requires more than the usual amount of power from the batteries which generates heat in the system. The result of doing this at 100% duty cycle is overheating motors and controllers, and a greatly reduced operational range. This is what is meant by the thermal capacity mentioned earlier. The drive system needs to be sized to the application so the generated heat can be mitigated or adequately dissipated before the associated components reach their thermal limits. Operating at thermal limits will lead to premature failures. 

When evaluating an application for a customer, keep an eye out for extremes and keep the duty cycle in mind. If there is any question, please consult design engineering for assistance.