Fontaine Modification is expanding its electrification integration services to include refrigerated trailers through a strategic alliance with electric transport refrigeration unit (eTRU) innovator eNow Inc., the companies reported.
Fontaine will offer application engineering, integration, and installation of eNow’s proprietary renewable Rayfrigeration eTRU technology on refrigerated trailers from all manufacturers. The system can be powered by any combination of solar, e-axle and shore power. The renewable power sources maintain a high-capacity lithium-ion battery that can power an all-electric unit from 10-12 hours at temperatures from -20° F to 60°F. In addition to environmental benefits, using eTRU technology reduces fuel and maintenance costs.
Fontaine technicians will install the systems at its modification facilities in Charlotte and Statesville, North Carolina; Springfield, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Dublin, Virginia; and Mineral Wells, West Virginia.
“Integrating advanced systems into commercial vehicles is our specialty, and we’re excited to put our expertise to work for customers who want to extend their electrification journey to include refrigerated trailers,” said Dave Brosky, vice president, sales and business development, Fontaine Modification Work Truck & EV Solutions. “As electrification becomes increasingly mainstream, we see tremendous potential for moving beyond the truck powerplant to trailers and other equipment.”
The company successfully tested the first zero-emission eTRU for commercial use on a Challenge Dairy truck making urban deliveries in 2017, eNow noted. With support from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), eNow’s diesel-free reefer system was deployed during a hot summer in Fresno, California, and achieved emission reductions of 98 percent nitrous oxide, 86 percent carbon dioxide, and 97 percent particulate matter compared to traditional diesel-powered systems.
“We are thrilled to work with the Fontaine team to further develop the eTRU market,” said Jeff Flath, president/CEO, eNow. “With an unstable fuel market and environmental concerns reaching a tipping point, eNow Rayfrigeration technology promises to revolutionize commercial transportation by eliminating the need for diesel fuel for trailer refrigeration and lowering equipment maintenance costs.”