Trailers are the absolute backbone of the trucking industry, and their impact on fuel economy, emissions and wear and tear on the tractor have long been accepted as a price of doing business.
Through the years impressive gains in aerodynamic trailer design have helped improve fuel economy, and now with vehicle electrification gaining more steam than ever before, electric trailer manufacturers are applying some of the same technology used in electric trucks to power the vital equipment that has long been a literal drag on the bottom line.
Two such manufacturers recently made news following their ongoing work in electrifying cargo and reefer trailers.
California-based Range Energy announced last week that its 53-foot electric trailer, the RA, was the first electric trailer approved for an incentive valued up to $80,000 through the California Air Resources Board Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Program.
RA’s battery-powered propulsion, according to Range Energy, improves fuel economy up to 40% while reducing wear and tear on the tractor and trailer. Brake life is extended through brake regen, and the tractor does not have to work its powertrain as hard to pull a load.
Later that same day, ConMet eMobility in Vancouver, Washington, announced that Penske Logistics had become the first third-party logistics provider to successfully pair its electric nMotion TR 160-45 equipped reefer trailer with an electric Freightliner eCascadia. A battery-powered refrigeration system takes the place of diesel, which eliminates emissions while avoiding the high cost of diesel fuel.
