Frigoblock cooperates with UK’s NRG Riverside to refrigerate BEV truck

Frigoblock and NRG Riverside will soon join forces to create the first battery-electric temperature-controlled trucks to operate on UK’s roads. As a brand of Thermoking, Frigoblock is a primary manufacturer of transport refrigeration units in Europe. NRG Riverside is one of the largest specialist fleet management companies in the UK with a special focus on sustainability.

Frigoblock, NRG Riverside and Electra Commercial Vehicles

Together with its strategic partner and manufacturer of electric HGVs, Electra Commercial Vehicles, NRG Riverside reached out to Frigoblock to provide high capacity refrigeration unit capable of being fully powered by their vehicle’s batteries. NRG Riverside was then capable to create four temperature-controlled distribution vehicles ranging from a 19-tonne rigid vehicle to a 13.6 meters trailer, all equipped with Frigoblock inverter-driven refrigeration systems. All vehicles are currently supplied to operators for trials and enable them to experience the benefits of zero-emission refrigerated transport.

The Frigoblock EK25R chassis-mounted refrigeration unit

The unit delivers high refrigeration capacity and is linked with RE22-2 remote evaporators. The unit uses a Frigoblock inverter to efficiently manage the power supply directly from the vehicle’s batteries, without excessive reduction to the vehicle’s range or operational duty time.

«At Frigoblock, we are dedicated to providing customers with our expertise and products that can help bring the environmental and performance benefits of electrified temperature-controlled transport to the cities», said Jon Jerrard-Dinn, key account manager at Frigoblock. «We value our long-time relationship with NRG Riverside and are proud to be part of this project, which is going to bring more BEV’s into service in the UK. We have proven that FRIGOBLOCK can provide seamless cold chain management, and our technology can be easily integrated with battery-electric large goods vehicles».

«One of our main priorities is to constantly innovate and apply the latest technologies to provide our clients with the most valuable solutions. With this electrification project, we wanted to prove that multi-temperature BEV’s are a viable solution to eliminate exhaust gas emissions – particularly in urban, multi-drop operations – without compromising the cold chain», added Sid Sadique, chairman of NRG Riverside. «We chose to collaborate with Frigoblock because, with the electric transport technology being new to the UK market, it was important to work with established partners, and we knew we can count on their proven products and support».