Vector eCool: First Technology of its Kind

The all-electric, zero-direct-emission Carrier Transicold Vector® eCool has become the first technology of its kind available to UK customers without the requirement for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) testing. After a detailed two-year process, Carrier Transicold has paved the way for customers to maximise the sustainability potential of its cutting-edge trailer technology. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.

Launched in 2020, Carrier Transicold’s fully autonomous Vector eCool was a genuine industry first. However, being at the cutting edge meant there were no standardised, technical regulations related to the system’s axle regeneration technology, so every new unit had to undergo IVA testing. Working closely with Gray & Adams, the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) and following a rigorous evaluation programme at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA), the Vector eCool is now the first of its type that does not require this time-consuming and costly procedure.

“When Carrier Transicold broke new ground with the Vector eCool, axle-regeneration technology in this configuration was something the industry hadn’t seen before,” said Scott Dargan, Managing Director UK and Northern Europe, Carrier Transicold. “We understood that it would take close collaboration with our partners and government agencies to get to this point and it has been two years of hard work. But just as we were the first to launch this type of all-electric technology, we are proud to be leading the way once again, setting an important industry benchmark for accessible, sustainable solutions that will create a roadmap for others to follow.”

The technology behind the Carrier Transicold Vector eCool is a sophisticated energy recovery and storage system that converts wasted kinetic energy generated by the trailer axle and brakes into electricity, which is then stored in a battery pack to power the refrigeration unit. This loop creates a fully autonomous system that produces no direct carbon dioxide (CO2) or particulate emissions and is PIEK certified to operate below the 60 dB(A) noise limit.

Vector eCool trailers are now operating in the UK and Europe. With the new approval for use, the total number in operation can now be rapidly and easily accelerated, offering the unit’s significant emissions savings to an even wider number of potential users – helping to contribute to Carrier’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goal to reduce its customers’ carbon footprint by more than one gigaton by 2030.