The family-owned Delanchy Group acquired this second all-electric vehicle, the first mass-produced Renault Trucks D Z.E. in France, to support its environmental policy. The company aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, thus contributing to a better quality of life in city centres.
"To equip this second 100% electric vehicle, we once again called on Carrier Transicold, who we had worked with on a previous prototype. We made this choice for two reasons: Carrier Transicold had the requisite technology and was willing to develop a refrigeration unit that was perfectly adapted to the vehicle's battery. This was the main challenge of the project," said Yannick Renault, Technical Director, Delanchy Group.
Originally designed for internal combustion vehicles, the Iceland 8 engineless refrigeration unit, was adapted into a 100% electric version by Carrier Transicold's design team to meet Delanchy’s needs. The single-temperature unit was connected to the vehicle's battery using Carrier Transicold's Eco-DriveTM hydroelectric module, which converts the direct current produced and stored by the truck while driving into the alternating current required to operate the refrigeration unit.
To provide even greater reliability, the design of the Iceland 8 was simplified to focus on the basics, i.e. cooling and raising the temperature of the container, when necessary, thanks to a system of electric resistors integrated into the unit. The Iceland 8 is also equipped with a sealed scroll compressor, which has only two moving mechanical parts, thus allowing continuous compression of the refrigerant and reducing the risk of possible leaks to a minimum (approximately 1% a year). Consequently, the unit is energy-efficient, quiet and environmentally sustainable. It is PIEK certified and emits less than 60 dB(A).
"We are extremely proud and pleased to have been able to work with Delanchy to introduce the first all-electric delivery truck manufactured by Renault Trucks in the French market. This is part of our long-standing relationship with Delanchy, reflecting our desire to find innovative solutions to the transport challenges of the future," said Didier Le Ny, Sales Director, Carrier Transicold France.
