ROAD TO ZERO REFRIGERATION
Marshall Renewables is to launch combined solar and kinetic energy-powered LCV refrigeration units for electric vans. Strategy director Michael Kane (left) talks to Dan Gilkes
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ambridge-based Marshall Fleet Solutions is no stranger to the temperature-controlled transport business. The company has been a major dealer for leading refrigeration supplier Thermo King since 1972. With more than 200 mobile engineers on the UK’s roads, providing service and installation, as much as 80% of Marshall’s daily business is temperature-controlled transport. Unsurprisingly, the share of light commercial vehicle work has increased rapidly over the last few years, as home and last-mile delivery continue to expand. Traditionally Marshall’s UK market for temperature-controlled LCVs up to 7.5-tonnes was around 6-8,000 vehicles a year. That has now risen to 8-10,000 vans and light trucks. “The LCV market has completely exploded, last-mile delivery has become absolutely key,” said Michael Kane, strategy director at Marshall Fleet Solutions. “We manage over 5,000 vehicles for one supermarket and normally they would make 800,000 deliveries per week, rising to around 1.2m deliveries in Christmas week. But recently, every day has been Christmas day, with over 1m deliveries a week.”
Seismic shift Volume is not the only driving force in this rapidly changing sector. Not only has the focus moved to lighter commercial vehicles, but customers are looking towards an electric vehicle future. “Electrification is a seismic shift,” said Kane. “However, although it has to happen very quickly, it is still at least two buying cycles away, so people are 14 VANUSER • MAY 2021
not rushing.” While vehicle manufacturers are struggling to build enough electric vans and chassis to meet this rapidly growing demand, with technology rapidly moving forwards, attention is also moving onto the bodybuilding and conversion process. Range anxiety remains a big concern for many operators and, in the majority of cases, running a refrigeration unit on the traction battery is not going to be a realistic solution. “Refrigeration is a high-power consumption unit, but EVs are all about range,” said Kane.
“However, the low-emission zones are going to increase and EVs will have to work with fridge systems. We are understanding of the issues and can deliver a solution.” Of course, as a Thermo King distributor, Marshall has been able to utilise the latest systems from the fridge unit provider. This includes the B-100 electric reefer unit for smaller vans and the E-200 fully electric refrigeration unit. This lithium-ion powered fridge solution is offered with 1.8kWh and 3.6kWh batteries and is suitable for medium to large vans and smaller trucks.
Roof-mounted panels However, you still need to find the power to keep the battery charged. Marshall has joined forces with a solar panel solutions provider called RIS, to create Marshall Renewables. Together, the two companies are working on a new solution, that will take power from roof-mounted solar panels and from the electric vehicle’s brake force regeneration system. “We are able to offer refrigeration to EV customers without affecting driving range, as Marshalls, and not just Thermo King,” said Kane. The MFS solar kinetic capture system, combined with a 2. 5kWh battery stored under the passenger seat, adds just 30kg to the unladen weight of the van, maintaining payload for the customer. It is capable of powering a tri-
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