Mitsubishi shrinks truck fridge by 30% 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems has launched its new TEU series of all-electric transport refrigeration units in Europe, expanding its electric refrigeration range into larger commercial vehicles.

The system has been designed around one of the practical constraints created by truck electrification. Battery packs take up substantial space on the chassis, leaving less room for refrigeration equipment and other auxiliary systems.

Mitsubishi’s answer is a more modular layout. Instead of packaging the main refrigeration components together, the condenser, evaporator and compressor are separated into smaller units that can be positioned around the vehicle according to the available space.

According to the manufacturer, the main TEU unit is around 30% smaller by volume than its conventional TU-series equipment. It also requires around 40% less installation opening area and is approximately 55% lighter.

The lower weight could help reduce the impact of auxiliary equipment on an electric truck’s payload and energy consumption, although Mitsubishi has not quantified the resulting effect on vehicle range.

Designed for large refrigerated trucks

Mitsubishi TEU Series electric transport refrigeration unit for large refrigerated trucks. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries / press materials

The TEU series represents a step up from Mitsubishi’s existing TEK electric refrigeration equipment, which was developed primarily for small and medium-sized refrigerated trucks.

The new system is intended for large trucks and uses an economiser cycle to provide the refrigeration capacity required by bigger cargo bodies despite the more compact equipment.

In simplified terms, the system uses part of the refrigerant flow to cool the main refrigerant stream before injecting it into an intermediate stage of the compressor. Mitsubishi says this increases cooling capacity while allowing the refrigeration hardware to remain relatively compact.

The system is also not limited to battery-electric trucks. It can take power from an EV traction battery, a vehicle-mounted generator or a separate battery dedicated to the refrigeration equipment.

That gives operators and vehicle builders more flexibility to use the same refrigeration architecture across different truck configurations.

Multi-temperature version available

Mitsubishi is also offering the TEU1400MA, a multi-temperature version designed for vehicles carrying products requiring different temperature zones.

Different evaporator sizes can be installed in separate compartments within the body, allowing chilled, frozen or other temperature-sensitive goods to be carried simultaneously.

MHI says four evaporator sizes are available, enabling the system to be adapted to different compartment sizes and cooling requirements.

This is likely to be particularly relevant to supermarket, food-service and pharmaceutical distribution, where mixed-temperature loads are common.

Energy use is still the missing number

For electric refrigerated trucks, however, reducing the physical size and weight of the refrigeration equipment solves only part of the problem.

Refrigeration draws energy that could otherwise be used to propel the vehicle, meaning its electricity consumption can affect both range and charging strategy.

Mitsubishi says the TEU uses inverter control to improve temperature management and energy efficiency, but it has not published power-consumption figures for the new system.

It has also not quantified how much range a refrigerated electric truck would lose while running the TEU, or how its electricity use compares with other electric transport refrigeration systems.