Reputation goes a long way. Particularly when it comes to selecting transport refrigeration units (TRUs) for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). That’s because any shift away from traditional combustion engine technology has the potential to raise more questions than it answers.

Logistics firms, for example are, likely to ask:

• Can we expect the same level of cooling performance?
• How will the unit integrate into a BEV’s wider power management system?
• What impact will the TRU have on a vehicle’s overall range (kilometers of travel)?

Such questions can lead to uncertainty in any proposed solution. That’s why it’s reassuring to work with true pioneers in the field, who offer 40+ years of experience with electric units, and a reputation built on trust.

This is Frigoblock, whose technology is already powering over 100 BEV trucks on the road – and there are a number of reasons why.

Putting efficiency first

The first factor underpinning our position as market leader is an ability to deliver against any client’s demand for reduced cost of operation and extended driving range.

Put simply, Frigoblock units are the most efficient systems available.

This we can say with confidence, due to the way our technology connects to the high voltage battery on the electric truck. It’s an important capability, because the addition of any TRU to an electric truck is going to place extra demands on a battery – and therefore impact range.

Which is why at Frigoblock our design ethos is based around the commitment to help customers use only the energy they absolutely need:

• Energy density is typically the single biggest cost in electrification, and Frigoblock works hard to help lower this investment burden
• For intelligent power management, our full inverter technology helps moderate refrigeration capacity as required
• As a result, you can bring the temperature to set point as quickly as possible and maintain precise set points — while ensuring maximum efficiency

By taking as little energy as possible from an electric truck’s battery, Frigoblock’s TRUs are enabling greater range for our customers, and delivering zero emissions along the way.

Partnerships of opportunity

A second key reason Frigoblock remains at the cutting edge of electrification and TRU design, is our on-going partnerships with all leading truck manufacturers.

This is another critical consideration, as the TRU and vehicle cannot afford to be designed in isolation if power efficiency is going to be optimized. Instead, the two systems need to be engineered to work in close collaboration. That’s why Frigoblock works with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to ensure:

• A combined development approach that ensures we deliver the best and most innovative solutions to our mutual customers
• Continual collaboration to deliver solutions aligned to the demands of current and planned technologies
• A commitment to enforcing a common language between the TRU and the vehicle’s systems

For this latter point, Frigoblock utilizes a CAN communication framework, which is standard in the automotive industry. As a result, all our subsystems communicate with a vehicle’s wider power system to help guarantee that energy is being efficiently extracted from every kilowatt of battery power.

Leading the way

A final reason worth mentioning brings us back to the notion of reputation. Frigoblock has long been known for refrigeration units that offer high capacity, fast pull-down times, and impressive energy efficiency. Yet equally, our reputation is also built on product innovation, service quality, sustainability, and safety. All of which require a few examples to help bring these qualities to life:

INNOVATION: an interesting challenge raised by BEVs and refrigeration units is noise. In the past, the sound of a truck’s internal combustion engine made such a concern irrelevant. But now with battery power, the decibels produced by a TRU does matter, and in response we’ve recently launched the fully PIEK-compliant EK Whisper Pro.

SERVICE QUALITY: alongside efficiency, Frigoblock units are also designed to offer extended service intervals and ease of maintenance. This we do to help customer minimize downtime. A goal made possible by the deep expertise offered by a comprehensive and highly experienced dealer network.

SUSTAINABILITY: as part of Trane Technologies, Frigoblock is embracing the challenge of helping decarbonize global cold chains. A fact illustrated well by our Gigaton Challenge, which is set to help reduce one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from our customers’ carbon footprints by 2030.

SAFETY: an essential concern, given the fact that TRUs on an electric vehicle become part of a high voltage system. Frigoblock owes its reputation to the fact that we have been using cutting-edge technology for a very long time, while complying with very strict safety standards and regulations, such as those governing electromagnetic compatibility.

Power your future ambitions with Frigoblock

Frigoblock continues to develop and enhance the market’s most effective electric product portfolio. Our goal being to increase further the performance of our units in terms of battery efficiency, while ensuring compliance with the latest technical developments and highest industry safety standards.

We also partner with various specialist providers, including battery manufacturers, to ensure a steady stream of new innovations are delivered to our customers. So, when you’re looking for a proven technology partner to support your electrification needs, we really do have all the bases covered.