Preston, UK: UK supermarket chain Booths is lowering emissions from its temperature-controlled fleet with new Carrier Transicold equipment.
Booths has added three Carrier Transicold Vector E-Cool all-electric engineless fridges.
The new Vector E-Cools, mounted to tandem-axle urban trailers from Gray & Adams, are joined by six new Daf CF 4×2 tractors fitted with Carrier Transicold’s Eco-Drive power units, allowing the company’s existing Carrier-equipped refrigerated trailers to be powered directly by the truck’s engine. The Eco-Drive can provide 100% refrigeration capacity, even at standard engine idle speed using the truck’s engine.
Later this year, two 26-tonne Daf CF rigids with Carrier Transicold Iceland multi temperature fridges will also be added. These will allow Booths to operate 70% of its temperature-controlled equipment on either all-electric or hybrid electric power.
“We’ve been specifying Carrier systems for close to 10 years now and will soon be completely Carrier-cooled,” said Craig Stopforth, transport manager, Booths.
“The reason being, they’re simply leading the industry in innovative, environmentally-responsible technology that’s also commercially viable. Thanks to Carrier we can see a clear path toward an engineless future for our refrigeration systems and don’t anticipate specifying any diesel-powered systems from here on.”
The new Vector E-Cool combines Carrier’s electric technology with an energy recovery and storage system that converts kinetic energy generated by the trailer axle and brakes into electric power, which is stored in a battery pack that powers the fridge.
The trailers will stay in the fleet for 10 years, while the company expects to keep the rigids in operation for approximately six years, with both expected to clock up close to 60,000 miles per year. Service and maintenance support is provided by Carrier Northwest.
“The forward-thinking approach Booths takes toward the sustainability of its commercial vehicles is one that ties in very closely with Carrier Transicold’s own outlook,” said Geoff Fearnley-Hill, national key account manager, Carrier Transicold UK.
