DACHSER is testing emission-free refrigerated vans

With the eTrailers from the manufacturer Krone, the company wants to gather important experience from everyday use with the technology that is still in its infancy.

Various components have been installed in the trailer to ensure that it can be reliably cooled electrically for a longer period of time: a modern, high-efficiency cooling unit, a relatively light battery with a capacity of 23 kWh, and a generator shaft. Overall, the eTrailer equipped in this way is lighter than a diesel-cooled model. The battery is charged in three to four hours directly at the loading gates, where pre-cooling also takes place. The eTrailer does not require a separate charging infrastructure.

In addition to the battery, the generator shaft provides the energy required for cooling. Its operation is similar to that of a bicycle dynamo, and it also enables the utilization of kinetic energy generated during the operation of the vehicle. When the truck is traveling at a speed of more than 20 km/h, the generator shaft provides enough energy to operate the cooling system completely independently, without a battery, and also to charge the battery.