With the challenging year of 2020 not yet over, it’s fair to say that any solutions which can improve efficiency are a must, and when it comes to temperature controlled vehicles, small changes can have a big impact.
We’re aware that improving efficiency of refrigerated vehicles is an ongoing challenge in the industry, but with the online grocery market alone forecasted to grow 25.5% in 2020 – significantly ahead of the 8.5% previously anticipated, there are more refrigerated vehicles on our roads than ever before.
Here’s our round up of five solutions for a more efficient temperature controlled vehicle.
1. Economical driving
This is the easiest tip yet the one which is the most overlooked – economical driving. This forward planning approach can help make a dramatic difference to the fuel economy of your fridge or freezer van. Although, it seems obvious, setting off in plenty of time for journeys, smooth acceleration and gradual braking can all end up quickly making a noticeable difference to fuel consumption, especially over longer journeys.
2. Energy saving vehicle solutions
Heard of CurtAir? It’s our innovative technology which provides distinct advantages over traditional PVC strip curtains and can result in enhanced effectiveness. It’s a compact, effective and invisible curtain suitable for transport refrigeration in a wide range of industries. Firstly, it’s highly effective at containing warm or cold air within the load space. Secondly, it’s lightweight; with a 7kg saving in weight over traditional PVC curtains, ensuring a direct fuel saving, making your temperature controlled vehicle more efficient.
3. Research payload
You may have read our guide on payload for refrigerated vehicles, but if not, when it comes to refrigerated transport efficiency, payload should up there in your list of priorities. To sum it up, it refers to the legal limit on the amount of weight that your refrigerated vehicle is allowed to carry.
And, it’s no secret that the payload of a vehicle has a direct impact on its fuel efficiency, with heavier vehicles requiring more energy to get up to speed, reflecting the difference at the pump. Therefore, it’s a good idea to implement measures to save on vehicle weight where you can. It’s not always practicable with the cargo itself, for example when making catering or consumable deliveries, however, there are ways to cut down on the number of unnecessary tools or equipment your drivers are hauling around or look for a specialist manufacturer than can cater for your needs.
This notion of increased payload plays a big role here at CoolKit, as we position ourselves as experts in lightweight transport solutions. We aim to improve capacity of the vehicle whilst reducing costs and the carbon footprint, and we did just that for Oliver Kay produce who were assessing the efficiency of their current fleet.
4. Fuel efficiency
Aside from some of the suggestions above, there are other fuel saving measures which can improve vehicle efficiency, one of which is servicing often. The importance of a regular fleet maintenance schedule really can’t be overstated.
By ensuring regular checks, you are preventing considerable sums in the long run. This includes tyre tests as research suggests Properly inflated tyres decrease rolling resistance, requiring less energy from the engine to keep the refrigerated vehicle moving, and thus increasing overall fuel efficiency by as much as 4%.
5. Electric vans
We recently discussed the four key considerations when switching your fleet to electric vans, however when it comes to efficiency, these vehicles are up there. Electrification is universally recognised as a rapidly growing, alternative source of vehicle power, with growing demand from all sectors of industry. The government has even set a clear long-term ambition for all new cars and vans to be zero emission by 2040, and for nearly every car and van to be zero emission by 2050.
When it comes to electric refrigerated vehicles, it means that the refrigeration units are battery powered, contributing to reduced emissions – and here at CoolKit, we have invested heavily into research around electric vehicles and how to best convert them into reliable and durable refrigerated vehicles.
There we have it, five solutions to a more efficient temperature controlled vehicle. But what are your thoughts and suggestions? Get in touch here or follow us on social.
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— CoolKit (@CoolKitLtd) September 16, 2020
