The Japanese manufacturer has already started selling the new TEU series under its Preciso brand. European sales are being handled by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Thermal Transport Europe, based in Osnabrück, Germany. The refrigeration units can draw power from an electric truck’s traction battery, but according to the manufacturer, they can also use vehicle-mounted generators or separate batteries dedicated to transport refrigeration.
Limited installation space in electric commercial vehicles was a key consideration during development. MHI Thermal Systems has therefore separated the condenser, evaporator and compressor into individual compact modules that can be arranged differently depending on the vehicle configuration. This is intended to simplify integration when large traction batteries take up part of the available space.
Compared with the conventional TU series with a separate generator, the main unit is said to require around 30 per cent less volume. The required installation opening is 40 per cent smaller, while weight is reduced by 55 per cent. These figures are solely based on information provided by MHI. The manufacturer also cites the lower weight as a potential benefit for the range of electric vehicles, but does not quantify the effect.
