Kampf: There is still some general confusion as to what hybrid reefer units are – or rather, how they work. Hybrid technology applied to Class 8 trucks mean a propulsion system that powered the vehicle by means other than a diesel engine as it launched or moved down the road.
The term “hybrid” on a trailer refrigeration unit (TRU) refers to a unit that uses diesel fuel as it is going down the road, but can be plugged into an electric grid when stationary.
CCJ: This seems like a fundamentally sensible idea for a new technology.
Kampf: Well, it’s not really a new idea. Thermo King has pioneered the development of these systems since at least the 1970s – and possibly before then. The problem is that even today, the infrastructure is not generally in place to allow a reefer to be plugged in when stationary. So fleets have no choice but to burn diesel fuel even when a reefer trailer is stationary.
I think as fuel prices continue to rise, the value of hybrid reefer units will increase. But line haul fleets really need truck stops, rest areas as well as private locations to put in the infrastructure to allow shore power for reefers. It’s not cheap. And we need to think of innovative ways to fund these efforts.
CCJ: Any time a fleet can save fuel that money goes straight to the bottom line, correct?
