Supermarket chain Tesco is conducting a trial of two Carrier Transicold multi-temperature refrigeration units – engineless systems that run entirely on hydro-electric power generated by the trucks’ Euro VI engines.

The trial is part of the supermarket retailer’s efforts to reduce its impact on the environment. These are the first two trucks fitted with alternative refrigeration technology to join Tesco’s fleet, which includes 450 rigids, 1,300 tractor units and 4,000 trailers.

Caroline Sindrey, engineering manager, at Tesco, said: “We are delighted to be one of the first customers trialling this new type of engineless refrigeration unit offering significant environmental benefits.

“The new system offers huge potential to help us reduce our carbon footprint through lower emissions and diesel consumption as well as decreasing air and noise pollution. We also hope it will reduce maintenance and fuel costs across our fleet of vehicles in the long term.”

The refrigeration systems are mounted to Mercedes-Benz Antos rigid trucks and will be used up to seven days a week, transporting chilled and ambient produce to urban Tesco Express and Tesco Metro stores across south west England and southern Wales.

Each vehicle will be kept in the fleet for eight years and is expected to cover 35,000 miles annually.

The systems remove the need for a separate diesel engine as they are driven by an Eco-Drive GenSet power unit, which is powered by a hydraulic pump connected to the truck’s engine power take-off.

The hydraulic pump drives a generator that delivers electrical power to the refrigeration unit and provides a continual, 100% refrigeration capacity even at the truck’s standard idle speed.