Recommending all Temperature-Controlled Vehicle Operators to Specify Engine PTO on all New Tractors & Rigids

GUEST BLOG – Hultsteins

I am delighted to be able to share our guest blogger Graham Usher at Eco Truck, sharing with us information regarding fitting an engine-drive PTO on all new vehicles will give you the option of retrofitting an electric generator.

Why  specify engine PTO (Power Take Off) on new equipment ?

We are a little over 18 months away from HMRC’s withdrawal of the current rebate on red diesel for use in refrigerated transport. When this happens, the impact on fridge operators will be an overnight increase in diesel prices of around 100%. 

Currently, red diesel attracts  duty at 11p per litre. This will increase to the current white diesel level of 57.5p per litre. That’s a whopping 47.9p increase per litre – adding many hundreds if not thousands of pounds extra cost, per year, per fridge, for all operators of diesel fridge units.

However, you can mitigate these cost increases and further decrease your current spend on diesel fuel, but to do so,  you must have an engine PTO.

Fitting an engine-drive PTO on all new vehicles will give you the option of retrofitting an electric generator. This does not replace the existing diesel refrigeration system, but instead  works in tandem with the fridge unit and  generates  a constant 400V at idle speed. The generator transforms the diesel unit into a hybrid solution which will run any marque of diesel fridge by utilising its built-in electric motor . 

Operators taking this course of action, will benefit  from reduced fuel consumption, reduced carbon, lower noise and a significant reduction in NOx and particulate emissions.

Furthermore, the  maintenance requirement of the host fridge system will also be reduced, which in turn will extend  the life of the diesel fridge.  

Specifying a PTO will only cost around £4.00 per week over a 5 year period. Not fitting a PTO will certainly add thousands of pounds more to your operating costs per vehicle, per year.  

You can pay a little more now for a PTO or a lot more later if you don’t have one. Without a PTO you cannot retro-fit an electric generator!   

My strong recommendation for anyone investing  in new trucks or tractors for use with diesel refrigeration, is to specify a factory-fitted PTO from their chosen truck provider, thereby making sure their investment is well and truly  future-proofed!

For further information about  Hultsteins’ Ecogen or hydraulic-drive fridge systems – which deliver 100% cooling capacity at idle – please call Graham on 07930377934  or mail Graham@ecotruckfridge.co.uk

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