The new E-Series unit is expected to answer the challenges of e-LCVs and inner-city deliveries, such as how to keep temperature control performance high with minimal energy consumption and how to reduce the refrigeration unit’s impact on the range of the battery electric vehicle.
Davide Fusciani, product manager at Thermo King, said: “With the E-500e model, we deliver an all-electric solution that extends the limits of what is possible today, and help our customers do the same. The E-Series is not only 100% electric, but also energy-efficient at heart, with an unmatched cooling capacity and an ideal use for urban areas.”
“For this model, we went back to the drawing board, keeping our customers’ and the environment’s needs at heart. With the European Union calling for CO₂ emissions from new trucks to be cut by 90% by 2040, we give our customers solutions that help them align with this transition and future proof their operations. We are now starting the production of the E-500e single and multi-temperature units, and more models will follow,” Fusciani added.
The E-500e is said to extract the full potential of electrically powered refrigeration while ensuring the lowest impact on the battery and range of the electric vehicle. Custom-designed inverter technology, a patented power control system and real-time communication between the unit and the vehicle are said to maximise the cooling performance, energy efficiency and optimal power supply with minimal impact on the vehicle’s autonomy.
According to Thermo King, the E-500e is powered by the vehicle’s battery, eliminating the need to invest in an additional battery pack or shore connection module. Drivers can keep their refrigeration unit running while their battery electric vehicle is charging or stationed at a delivery stop.
A new compressor with RPM independent of the vehicle’s speed generates an electric cooling capacity up to 4.5 kW and both cooling and heating modes to fit customers’s application needs.
The units can be installed on panel vans, chassis cab trucks and other types of vehicle conversions due to a compact design that is claimed to be half the weight of an equivalent legacy unit. Lower weight means a reduced impact on the battery-electric vehicle’s range and maximises the vehicle’s payload.