Carrier Transicold unveils new electric truck refrigeration technology

Carrier Transicold unveiled new zero-emission electric truck refrigeration technology during the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo that the company says provides a path for refrigerated transporters who want to incorporate more sustainable systems into their fleets.

Designed to provide maximum range and refrigeration capacities similar to those now achieved only by diesel-powered truck systems, engineless Supra technology will be applied to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or to run autonomously with conventional engine-driven trucks, Carrier said. This will make it especially well-suited for businesses in California that must introduce zero-emissions truck refrigeration units into their fleets by the end of 2023 in compliance with proposed California Air Resources Board (CARB) requirements.

“Carrier Transicold has a solid record of developing industry-leading sustainable refrigeration technologies for the safe transport of perishable and frozen goods, and our new electric Supra concept builds on this legacy with its quiet emissions-free design,” said Scott Parker, product manager for truck products at Carrier Transicold.

“The Supra zero-emission design completely removes the diesel engine from the equation,” Parker said. “It takes advantage of many of the system design, performance, and efficiency enhancements that we recently introduced with our diesel-powered Supra series platform. As we upgraded our Supra line, we had an eye on the future, anticipating that the road ahead would require more sustainable, zero-emission technologies.”

Like Carrier Transicold’s Vector trailer refrigeration systems, the electric Supra unit uses E-Drive technology, an all-electric refrigeration architecture that couples efficient performance with reduced maintenance requirements.

Features and benefits of the Supra zero-emission design include:

• Efficient zero-emissions performance: Utilizing a direct-current electric power source, the unit eliminates fuel consumption, emissions, and noise associated with engine-driven systems.
• Maximum range and high capacity: The unit is being designed for full-day’s use with refrigeration performance on par with conventional diesel systems.
• Reduced service requirements: E-Drive technology uses maintenance-free electric evaporator and condenser fans and a sealed electric compressor, eliminating many typical serviceable items, such as belts, pulleys, and shaft seals.
• More environmentally sustainable refrigerant: Using R-452A, with a global warming potential (GWP) that is 45% lower than today’s standard refrigerant, the electric Supra would meet CARB’s pending requirement that new transport refrigeration units use refrigerants with a GWP lower than 2,200 beginning in 2023.

The electric Supra unit requires a direct-current power supply. In the case of a non-electric truck this can be a dedicated battery module, and in BEV applications the electric Supra unit can draw energy from the truck’s battery pack. Carrier’s propriety power-management technologies maximize refrigeration unit performance and battery life for daily delivery operations, the company said.

Full North American commercial availability is expected by 2023 so fleets can comply with CARB’s proposed deadline of Dec. 31, 2023, to convert 15% of their refrigerated trucks to zero-emission refrigeration technologies.

Learn more at corporate.carrier.com/healthycoldchain.