Press release -
Thermo King AxlePower with BPW ePower axle Wins European Transport Award for Sustainability 2024
Brussels, November 30, 2023–Thermo King®, a leader in transport temperature control solutions and a brand of Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) and BPW Bergische Achsen KG, a leader in running gears and mobility services for transport, won in the “Components and Aggregates” category of the European Transport Award for Sustainability 2024. The jury recognized Thermo King and BPW for AxlePower, the smart energy generating system that stores energy generated from rolling or braking of the trailer in a high voltage battery and reuses it to power the refrigeration unit.
"Winning the European Transport Award for Sustainability 2024 for AxlePower confirms our belief that we have created a solution set to become a pivotal component of environmentally conscious trailer refrigerated transportation," said Laurent Debias, product management and marketing leader at Thermo King. "Within the ongoing transition from diesel-based to electric technologies, our customers receive a proven and tested way to drastically reduce carbon emissions, noise and operational costs of their trailer fleets."
"Sustainability plays an important role in both our companies. We are therefore delighted to receive this award, which recognizes not only the products but also the sustainable practices and strategies of companies. At the same time, it is proof of our successful collaboration on the breakthrough of zero-emission refrigerated transport," adds Thore Bakker, General Manager Business Unit Trailer Solutions and Mobility Services at BPW.
About Thermo King AxlePower
Available to customers and in serial production, Thermo King AxlePower is a fully integrated, tractor independent system that combines BPW’s ePower axle with Thermo King refrigeration unit and power management technology. The AxlePower’s smart energy generating system delivers the power needed to run the trailer refrigeration unit by converting energy recovered by the trailer’s axle during the vehicle’s routine operation.
The system stores the energy generated while the vehicle is rolling or braking in a high voltage battery and reuses it to power the refrigeration unit – enabling fully electric and autonomous trailer refrigeration. The Thermo King Energ-e battery pack, being charged while the trailer is moving also powers the unit autonomously while the trailer is stopped. Smart power management controls the engagement and disengagement of the generators minimising the resistance on the tractor and providing the driver and fleet manager with real-time battery charge visibility.
The AxlePower system has gone through rigorous field-tests by different customers in six European countries, since fourth quarter of 2022. The configurations of the refrigeration units varied from hybrid versions with diesel backup engines to engineless, fully electric systems. This real-life testing phase featured a wide range of applications including the daily distribution of fresh products and long-haul frozen goods transport with multi-night stops.
The results of these trials reported up to 20 consecutive weeks of electric refrigeration in local distribution without the restart of the reefer’s diesel engine or connection to shore power. On long haul routes with night stops, the AxlePower system allowed the refrigeration units to operate fully in electric mode throughout the day, and for 40% to 80% of the nighttime, depending on the Energ-e battery pack configuration. When battery capacity was used, the backup diesel engine of the refrigeration unit kicked in seamlessly to maintain set temperatures.
Trials showed there’s no change in trailer and tractor behaviour, ensuring unaffected driving. The fuel consumption reports confirmed that the AxlePower has a marginal impact on the tractor fuel consumption. This is achieved by optimising recovery of energy from the BPW ePower axle generators when it is most efficient to do so and only when needed by the battery.
About the European Transport Award for Sustainability 2024
The biennial European Transport Award for Sustainability is organized by the German publisher HUSS-VERLAG GmbH and its magazine Transport. The award honours companies in the transportation and commercial vehicle industry that take sustainable actions and better anchor the principles of sustainable development.
The 2024 awards were handed out during an official ceremony in Munich, Germany. An independent jury consisting of representatives from business, science, industry associations and media carefully evaluated the applications in 16 different categories based on a point system. The award is intended to encourage companies in the transport and commercial vehicle sector to act sustainably and demonstrates that responsible and sustainable action not only helps to solve social and ecological problems on a global scale, but also increases profitability and competitiveness for the businesses.
For more information, please visit www.europe.thermoking.com
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About BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft
BPW Bergische Achsen KG is the parent company of the BPW Group. With around 1,500 employees, including around 100 trainees, the family-run company has been developing and producing complete running gear systems for truck trailers and semi-trailers at its headquarters in Wiehl since 1898. BPW’s technologies include axle systems, brake technology, suspension and bearings. BPW’s trailer axles and running gear systems are in use in millions of vehicles around the world. An extensive range of services also provides vehicle manufacturers and vehicle operators with the opportunity to increase economic efficiency in their production and transport processes. www.bpw.de/en
About the BPW Group
The BPW Group researches, develops and manufactures everything needed to ensure that transport keeps moving and is safe, illuminated, intelligent and digitally connected. With its brands BPW, Ermax, HBN, HESTAL and idem telematics, the company group is a preferred system partner of the commercial vehicle industry around the globe for running gear, brakes, lighting, fasteners and superstructure technology, telematics and other key components for trucks, trailers and buses. The BPW Group offers comprehensive mobility services for transport businesses, ranging from a global service network to spare parts supply and intelligent networking of vehicles, drivers and freight. The owner-operated company group currently employs around 7,000 staff in 27 countries and achieved consolidated sales of 1.731 billion euros in 2022. www.bpw.de/en
