Thermo King has started production of its new fully electric E-500e refrigeration unit for fleet operators running eLCVs.

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Part of its flagship E-Series range and designed for ultimate efficiency and operational flexibility, the E-500e is fully compliant with LEZ, ULEZ and ZEZ emission zones, as well as diesel-ban areas, ensuring fleet operators can gain day and night access in inner city and urban deliveries while slashing their emissions.

The E-500e is powered directly by the vehicle’s battery, eliminating the need to invest in an additional battery pack or shore connection module. Drivers can keep their refrigeration unit running while their battery electric vehicle (BEV) is charging or stationed at a delivery stop.

It’s available in single- and multi-temperature models and designed to extract the full potential of electrically powered refrigeration while ensuring the lowest possible impact on the battery and range of the BEV.

Highlights include custom-designed inverter technology, a patented power control system and real-time communication between the unit and the vehicle, which maximise the cooling performance, energy efficiency and optimal power supply with minimal impact on the vehicle’s autonomy.

It also features a brand-new, high-speed compressor with RPM independent of the vehicle’s speed, which generates new levels of electric cooling capacity up to 4.5 kW and both cooling and heating modes to fit customers’ multiple application needs.

The units designed for easy installation on panel vans, chassis cab trucks and other types of vehicle conversions. This is thanks to its compact design, which delivers high performance with half the weight of an equivalent legacy unit, according to the business, reducing the impact on the vehicle’s range and maximising the payload.

It’s the latest addition to Thermo King’s E-Series range of fully electric refrigeration units, designed from the ground up specifically for battery-powered electric vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes.

Davide Fusciani, product manager at the transport temperature control solutions specialist said: “With the E-500e model, we deliver an all-electric solution that extends the limits of what is possible today, and help our customers do the same. The E-Series is not only 100% electric, but also energy-efficient at heart, with an unmatched cooling capacity and an ideal use for urban areas.

“For this model, we went back to the drawing board, keeping our customers’ and the environment’s needs at heart. With the European Union calling for CO2 emissions from new trucks to be cut by 90% by 2040, we give our customers solutions that help them align with this transition and future proof their operations. We are now starting the production of the E-500e single and multi-temperature units, and more models will follow.”