LOUISVILLE. Among the new products Dometic displayed at the Mid-America Trucking Show here last week was a battery-based, engine-off cooling unit specifically developed for use in Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) Freightliner Cascadia, Columbia, MB2 Business Class and Western Star day cabs.
According to Lou Siegel, spokesman for Dometic’s U.S. trucking business unit, the new system is scheduled to be available from the OEM as a published option starting in late 2011 or early 2012.
Initially, the split-system cooling unit will be installed at the OEM’s own post-delivery and inspection facilities. It is designed to deliver 5,000 BTU/hr of cooling with a 1.5-hour run time and to meet all federal, local and CARB emissions requirements.
According to Dometic, it is working closely with DTNA to help assure that the new system is a success from the start-- for end users and for DTNA. Among other things, Dometic is providing training for DTNA workers and dealer personnel who will be installing and servicing the new cooling units.
“We are really focused this year on doing a good job [for our OEM partners],” Siegel told Fleet Owner. “We have to pull together.”