PFG Pilots Electric Refrigerated Truck with Navistar, Great Dane and Carrier Transicold
One of the largest food and foodservice distribution companies in North America, Performance Food Group Company (PFG), is collaborating with Navistar, Great Dane and Carrier Transicold on a commercial evaluation program using all-electric refrigeration technology on a battery-electric truck for sustainable, direct-emissions-free distribution of refrigerated and frozen food.
PFG’s solution, shown above at the ACT Expo earlier this month, features Carrier Transicold’s ground-breaking Supra eCool™ electric truck refrigeration unit, an International® eMV™ Series battery-electric truck with a factory-installed ePower electrical system, and a 22-foot Alpine S-Series insulated body by Great Dane.
PFG will use the truck to serve its operations in California, supporting the company’s sustainability initiatives, while marking an important step toward compliance with new regulations that require adoption of zero-direct-emission refrigeration technologies in the state.
“Mitigating our carbon footprint through use of advanced technologies helps us to be responsible stewards of the environment,” said Jeff Williamson, Senior Vice President, Operations, PFG. “The use of direct-emissions-free transportation and refrigeration technologies by these industry-leading collaborators offers tremendous potential in helping us to achieve key sustainability goals and metrics.”
With its optimized performance, the engineless Supra eCool electric refrigeration unit seamlessly draws power from the International eMV Series’ ePower electrical system to support PFG’s daily deliveries. Control interface commonalities between the Supra eCool unit and the traditional Supra diesel units used by PFG will help its drivers transition to all-electric refrigeration.
“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the industry’s transformation from traditional approaches to cleaner, quiet, direct-emissions-free solutions,” said Alice DeBiasio, Vice President and General Manager, Truck Trailer Americas and Digital Solutions, Carrier. “The benefits of electric transport refrigeration technologies go beyond sustainability, as they can also provide life-cycle cost benefits for progressive fleets, such as PFG’s.”