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 (leſt ) talks to Dan Gilkes


“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 dis-


tributor, Marshall has been able to uti- lise 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 refriger- ation 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 small- er trucks.


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ambridge-based Mar- shall Fleet Solutions is no stranger to the tempera- ture-controlled transport business. The company


has been a major dealer for leading re- frigeration supplier Thermo King since 1972. With more than 200 mobile engi- neers on the UK’s roads, providing ser- vice and installation, as much as 80% of Marshall’s daily business is temper- ature-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 ex- pand. 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 be- come 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 deliv- eries in Christmas week. But recent- ly, 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 commer- cial vehicles, but customers are look- ing towards an electric vehicle future. “Electrifi cation 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 rapid- ly growing demand, with technology rapidly moving forwards, attention is also moving onto the bodybuilding and conversion process. Range anxi- ety remains a big concern for many operators and, in the majority of cas- es, running a refrigeration unit on the traction battery is not going to be a re- alistic solution.


“Refrigeration is a high-power con- sumption unit, but EVs are all about range,” said Kane.


Roof-mounted panels However, you still need to fi nd the pow- er to keep the battery charged. Mar- shall has joined forces with a solar panel solutions provider called RIS, to create Marshall Renewables. To- gether, the two companies are work- ing 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 driv- ing range, as Marshalls, and not just Thermo King,” said Kane.


The MFS solar kinetic capture sys-


tem, 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 cus- tomer. It is capable of powering a tri-


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