Carrier’s year-long roadshow in France for the Vector eCool – the first engineless, all electric and fully autonomous refrigerated trailer system – demonstrated the benefits of transport electric refrigeration. In 2022, more than 30 customers in the French transport industry tested the refrigeration unit, helping them reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 75% during the trials, based on liters of fuel saved*.
Early in 2022, Carrier Transicold launched a national campaign with its customers, inviting them to test the first fully autonomous, all-electric, engineless refrigerated trailer system for semi-trailers, the Vector eCool. The aim was to allow customers to test the system in genuine operating conditions for 15 days.
As part of the trials, Carrier Transicold offered two 27- and 33-pallet refrigerated semi-trailers equipped with the Vector eCool. The trucks have covered more than 80,000 kilometers on France’s roads, traveling from Lille through Marseilles and Bordeaux to Nancy.
In total, 34 companies and transporters tested the Vector eCool during the roadshow. After each test, Carrier Transicold provided a comprehensive usage report, which included the number of kilometers traveled, energy consumption, telematics data, and quantity of CO2 emissions saved.
Overall, the tests proved to be a positive experience for customers.
Launched in 2020, the Vector eCool was born of Carrier Transicold’s desire to offer solutions to reduce emissions, improve durability and increase efficiency throughout the refrigerated transport sector. Compatible with the engineless versions of Carrier Transicold’s Vector HE 19 and Vector 1550 E models, it combines the manufacturer’s E-Drive all-electric technology with a cutting-edge energy recovery and storage system. This innovative system converts the kinetic energy generated by the semi-trailer into electricity, which is then stored in a battery pack to supply the chiller unit. This virtuous circle creates a fully autonomous system that produces no direct CO2 or particle emissions. The unit is also fully compliant with PIEK certification (-60 dB).
