It's a scenario that we'll bet every experienced driver has encountered at some point during their time behind the wheel. You're in your truck, cruising down the road or highway on a long trip, it's hot, you're thirsty, and a place to score a cold, refreshing drink isn't anywhere nearby.
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As a matter of fact, in this hypothetical situation, you're 100 miles from the nearest civilization, let alone convenience mart. Yes, it's a horrible predicament. The question is, how do you get out of it? Or, better yet, what can you do to prevent it?
We believe preparedness is the best solution. Eliminate the possibility altogether by having a stash of water or soda on board before you even pull out of the driveway. Securing and filling an ice chest with liquid sustenance in the truck's bed is one timeless method, as is preparing a jug of your favorite cold beverage before departing, and sipping from it throughout the journey.
However, the major problem with both options is, eventually, whatever it is that you prefer to enjoy cold will inevitably lose its cool. Depending on the quality of the ice chest (and exactly how hot the ambient temperature really is—we're talking I-70-through-the-San-Rafael-Desert-in-August for our example), ice may melt before you reach your destination, and your ride-along container can also warm up long before your trip is over. If/when this happens, you could be right back in the same predicament—thirsty, and without cold-drink relief for miles.
Installing a 12-volt truck refrigerator in the cabin is a much more viable solution. And by "installing" we mean simply placing a unit wherever there's room for it and plugging it into an auxiliary-power outlet. Or, as Sean Holman shows us, mounting an on-board fridge in a pickup's (or SUV's) console is also possible.
We think electric refrigerators are the better play now—especially for road warriors—because they're portable (so can be used in different vehicles), they range in size and capacity from small to large, they're efficient, and, most importantly, they're able to maintain consistent user-determined temperature (some units even have optional freezers and warmers ). Some are simple, others have more elaborate capabilities, and of course they vary in cost depending on such factors as size, capability, etc. ( Furrion's eRove portable electric cooler isn't included in this report, but we'd definitely be remiss if we didn't mention it as a favorite. ) As long as there's a power source, a 12-volt truck fridge should never let you down.
Check out the assortment of fridge units we've compiled in our 12-Volt Truck Refrigerator Buyer's Guide to give you insights on plug-in coolers that we believe are solid choices for a pickup or SUV. Once you determine your needs and wants, selecting any one of these units for your truck will no doubt be a solid move.
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While all-electric transport refrigeration units might seem a relatively new development in the refrigerated transportation segment, the technology has developed over the last 20-plus years.
Marc Trahand, vice president and general manager of ConMet eMobility, noted that development of all-electric TRUs is in part a response to regulatory action by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In February , CARB adopted rules to achieve additional emission and health risk reductions from diesel-powered TRUs and increase the use of zero-emission (ZE) technology in refrigerated transportation.
Starting at the end of , truck operators must turn in or replace at least 15% of the box trucks in their fleet with units using ZE technology. CARB plans to consider similar requirements for trailer TRUs in the coming years.
Partly in response to this changing regulatory landscape, Trahand said ConMet developed the PreSet Plus eHub system, a part of the Carrier Transicold Vector eCool all-electric trailer TRU.
The eHub integrates an electric motor with a hub assembly to capture regenerated energy that would otherwise go wasted as heat from friction brakes. While regulatory concerns and a desire by companies to reduce the carbon footprint of their fleet operations rank high, refrigerated fleets also want a system that’s reliable, he added.
“Looking at a commercial vehicle industry, everybody has to think of this as a work tool. Its job No. 1 is to bring refrigerated goods to wherever they need to go, and that cold chain cannot be broken at any time. Nor do fleets want any downtime,” Trahand said. “So I think when you’re delivering an electric trailer to fleets, that’s what they’re looking for. ”
Development of all-electric TRUs was also made possible by earlier generations of eTRUs nearly two decades earlier. However, progress for manufacturers was hindered by adaptation difficulties and lack of sufficient infrastructure for shore-power access.
Since then manufacturers have come up with various iterations of eTRUs such as Carrier Transicold’s legacy Vector, an all-electric refrigeration system traditionally powered by an onboard generator run by a diesel engine. SafeConnect Systems also offers shore-power options by installing new hybrid-electric TRUs that can plug into stationary sources of power when the trailer is at a dock door or staged.
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Bill Maddox, senior manager of product management for Carrier Transicold, truck/trailer/rail Americas, said the key benefit to an all-electric TRUis greater sustainability and less fuel consumption.
“Customer reception for the Vector eCool system has been very good,” Maddox said. “At this stage, fleets are interested in piloting the technology in their operations. Potential purchasing incentives exist at both state and federal levels.”
While an all-electric TRU can double the cost of a new refrigerated trailer or box van, ConMet’s Trahand estimates fleets could easily recoup that additional cost in five years with operational savings from reduced fuel costs and maintenance. Last year, California provided a $125 million project funded by proceeds from the state’s cap and trade auction. The funds were intended to encourage California off-road equipment users to purchase or lease currently commercialized ZE off-road equipment. To help offset the higher cost of ZE TRUs, the project provided 274 vouchers with nearly $32.9 million in point-of-sale discounts.
Development of all-electric TRUs was also made possible by earlier generations of eTRUs nearly two decades earlier. (ConMet)
Carrier Transicold is expected to unveil its Supra line later this year. Maddox said it is an example of a refrigeration system that will operate by battery without a built-in power generation system. It is designed to operate via its own battery system when it is used on a truck with an internal combustion engine or EV battery, he added.
Maddox said some customers with existing engine-driven Vector systems have adopted the eCool technology to power their systems. “Retrofits can potentially be a faster, more affordable point of entry for fleets that want to trial the new technology,” he said. “Having the engine also provides added performance assurance as fleets learn how to integrate the battery technology into their existing operations.
In , Thermo King launched its Evolve all-electric product line with one unit for middle- and last-mile delivery and Classes 5-7 vehicles. (Thermo King)
“The other ROI that cannot be ignored is the benefit to our customers’ environmental footprint,” Maddox continued. “Eliminating the diesel engine from the refrigeration unit means annual greenhouse gas reductions are estimated at 65%, compared to a diesel engine-driven trailer refrigeration unit.”
In , Thermo King launched its Evolve all-electric product line with one unit for middle- and last-mile delivery and another unit for Classes 5-7 vehicles with a variety of cargo box sizes. Late last year, Thermo King completed nearly 2,500 operational hours of testing of an Evolve demonstration trailer with retailers Walmart, Loblaws and Martin Brower.
Sam Doerr, trailer portfolio leader for Thermo King North America, said in addition to analyzing the operational data from the units, the company is examining customer operational data using its TracKing telematics to inform future product optimization and innovation.
“These trials were extremely successful in helping our customers prepare for adoption of electrification and how these assets might fit into their operation,” Doerr said. “These trials allow for a deep understanding of different customers’ operations and needs in terms of electrification and how to make it work for them.
“Infrastructure [also] plays an important part in the decision of electrification,” Doerr continued. “Most of our customers are actively talking with their utilities around the best options for adoption.”
According to a position paper on trailer electrification published by Thermo King last year, one critical design factor in the design of battery-electric transport refrigeration units (BETRU) is where to place the AC/DC converter. Due to cost considerations, an operator can provide AC power directly into the BETRU. An onboard charger then converts the incoming AC power from a level 2 charger into the high-voltage DC power that the battery pack will need. The position paper says that while this saves money on the infrastructure side, it significantly raises the cost of each BETRU. Having the converter installed on the charger station is significantly cheaper, but also limits the applicable charging locations for the BETRU.
Trahand said he also sees the ability of fleets to charge their eTRUs and BETRUs as an important part of gaining the best outcome.
“Not every facility is equipped today [with shore power capability] and that’s definitely a challenge in the industry, but we’ve managed to have our product working with a company that had no shore power, no charging available, and we were still running close to 100% electric on all routes,” he said. “So it’s been interesting to see how even without infrastructure, the generation on the roads can be a big success.”
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