One of the United Kingdom’s Largest Refrigerated Hybrid Trucks Features Innovative, Sustainable Solutions from Thermo King
Energy-saving concept truck completes successful pilot test in London
Brussels, Belgium, January 15, 2013 – One of the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) largest refrigerated hybrid trucks, engineered by Thermo King in collaboration with Volvo and Arla Foods, is transporting milk throughout London while providing increased sustainability, lower fuel costs and reduced noise.
The 26-tonne, 8.65-metre concept rigid truck features transport refrigeration solutions from Thermo King, a manufacturer of temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications and a brand of Ingersoll Rand. The truck features a combined conventional and eutectic plate solution that Thermo King engineers helped developed for the vehicle to provide temperature control when the vehicle operates in both engine and battery-powered mode.
Thermo King developed the solution in cooperation with Volvo UK and Volvo Belgium for Arla Foods, the UK’s largest dairy company. Arla has a challenging environmental agenda and the key focus of this project was to find a solution to support the delivery of their carbon dioxide reduction targets. The truck represents the only Volvo 26-tonne refrigerated dairy truck hybrid in the UK today.
“Thermo King is working to develop innovative solutions such as this to help customers meet forthcoming regulations and increase sustainability for both large and small deliveries,” said Steve Williams, UK sales manager for Thermo King.
The vehicle features the Thermo King vehicle-powered V-700 Max Spectrum refrigeration system which is used to provide over-the-road refrigeration. The V-700 Max Spectrum, the latest addition to the Thermo King V-Series range of transport refrigeration units, has a nominal capacity 20-30 percent higher than its direct competitors.
This technologically ensures that the V-700 Max Spectrum is the most environmentally responsible unit for the application and meets all the criteria required by Arla Foods. The V-700 Max Spectrum refrigeration unit is a low-noise unit, allowing for inner city delivery at any time.
The hybrid truck also features specially designed eutectic plates, which are connected to the V-700 Max Spectrum’s refrigeration system, that provide backup refrigeration when the truck is operating in the over-the-road battery mode.
When the unit is plugged in on electric standby overnight, the refrigeration unit’s host compressor provides the necessary refrigeration to freeze the liquid solution that is inside the eutectic plates, providing the overall system with additional temperature hold over capacity when the Volvo Hybrid is operating in battery mode during its deliveries. .
Leaders at Arla and Volvo are evaluating the vehicle for commercialization. They anticipate that it will deliver significant fuel savings and reduce truck emissions.
