Martin Brower adopts ‘fully autonomous’ reefer units

Martin Brower recently equipped 24 trailers with Carrier Transicold’s fully autonomous Vector eCool all-electric refrigerated systems.

In service to a major fast-food brand, the new units will help the U.K.-based distributor reduce emissions on delivery routes in and around London.

The company’s new 13.6-meter (44.6-ft.) Gray & Adams trailers are supplied on contract by Centurion Truck Rental. The Vector eCool units are paired with the engineless version of the Carrier Transicold Vector HE 19, a combination that will help the business unlock sustainability benefits, reduce fuel costs, and begin the move toward a diesel-free future for its temperature-controlled trailer fleet, the companies said.

The new trailers will operate out of the company’s Hemel Hempstead distribution center and be on the road seven days per week, clocking around 87,500 miles per year.

“Our goal is to deliver innovative and meaningful solutions that help restaurants and our business create a more globally sustainable, ethical, and responsible future,” said Kevin Svenkeson, Martin Brower’s managing director for the U.K. and Ireland. “Partnering with Carrier Transicold to integrate its all-electric Vector eCool units into our fleet is an essential step toward further reducing our carbon emissions and limiting our environmental impact.”

The eCool unit combines Carrier Transicold’s E-Drive all-electric technology with a new energy recovery and storage system. This converts kinetic energy generated by the trailer axle and brakes into electric power, which is stored in a battery pack that powers the refrigeration unit in a loop that creates the industry’s first fully autonomous system, producing no direct carbon dioxide (CO2) or particulate emissions, Carrier said.

The eCool also is PIEK-compliant, which, combined with its emissions performance, means that the system offers a solution for tightening inner city and urban regulations, while creating a more “harmonious” working environment for drivers. The trailers also can be plugged into the electrical grid when parked and fully charged in two hours using a standard five-pin, three-phase standby plug.

Martin Brower’s new units all are backed by Carrier Transicold’s BluEdge fixed-cost, full-service maintenance package, which includes annual temperature control testing and certification, full regulatory checks and access to the company’s oneCALL 24/7 incident management service.

“Since its U.K. launch in 2020, the Vector eCool system has proven an attractive offering for fleets eager to futureproof their operations against tightening legislation, and we are excited that Martin Brower has added its name to that list,” said Scott Dargan, managing director for the U.K. and Northern Europe at Carrier Transicold.

“The Vector eCool is also the perfect match for Martin Brower’s urban delivery requirements right now, providing instant sustainability benefits for its London-based operations.”