Tropicana, a division of PepsiCo, is taking steps to upgrade its chilled delivery fleet operation to “greener” models starting with two new hybrid diesel-electric medium-duty Peterbilt trucks, which service downtown Chicago IL.
This past April, Tropicana placed into service the two trucks under a full-service lease through Paccar Leasing (PacLease).
Olen Hunter, PacLease director of sales and marketing, said, “By working closely with PepsiCo, Peterbilt, and Kidron Body Company, we developed a transportation solution centered around Peterbilt’s new Class 7 Model 337 hybrid diesel-electric straight truck platform. The hybrid diesel-electric truck is expected to reduce fuel consumption by 35% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an equal amount.”
The hybrid trucks are equipped with a refrigeration system called Ultra Temp, manufactured by Kidron. This system allows Tropicana to eliminate emissions and fuel consumption associated with the refrigeration engine, through the use of a hybrid refrigeration system. The system draws power from the truck’s powertrain and stores it. Using that stored energy, it maintains ambient temperature in the cargo area within set specifications throughout the delivery route.
Tropicana’s direct store delivery unit operates trucks at 22 locations, including Chicago, Denver CO, Los Angeles CA, Miami FL, Phoenix AZ, San Francisco CA, and Seattle WA. Over the next few years, the PepsiCo unit will continue to replace its older trucks with the more fuel-efficient, environmentally preferable trucks.
Acquisition of the hybrid trucks comes on the heels of the company’s move to replace 72 older delivery trucks with Peterbilt medium-duty models also placed into service under a full-service lease through PacLease. The standard diesel-powered Peterbilts, each equipped with 260-hp Paccar PX-8 engines, and Allison 3000 five-speed transmissions, are getting 6.75 mpg on average, a 35% improvement over the trucks they replaced.
PacLease national account sales executive Ron Festervan said the replacement of the 72 older delivery trucks and the acquisition of the hybrid trucks has resulted in the Tropicana division reducing particulate matter emissions by an estimated 16 tons per year and nitrogen oxide emissions by 373 tons per year.
Tropicana’s leased hybrid trucks are equipped with 300-hp PACCAR PX-6 engines providing 660 ft-lbs of torque powered through Eaton six-speed hybrid transmissions. The truck’s Eaton diesel-electric hybrid power system integrates a transmission-mounted 60-hp electric engine, which can start moving the unit without using the diesel engine. The electric engine assists the diesel engine when the unit needs more torque and power for acceleration. The engine works with a frame-mounted, 340-volt lithium-ion battery pack that recharges every time the unit brakes to reduce speed.
Visit www.paccar.com or www.pepsico.com for further information.
