Schmitz Cargobull’s first S.KOe COOL in England hits the road with Marine & Cargo

Will Shiers
October 25, 2024

 

Marine & Cargo has taken delivery of the first all-electric Schmitz Cargobull S.KOe COOL semi-trailer in England. Working on a contract with S.T.I. (UK), the zero-emission unit will be used to deliver temperature-controlled goods to McDonald's distribution centres around the UK.

Andrew Marshall, managing director at Marine & Cargo, said: “We’ve had the S.KOe COOL on the road for a few weeks now and the early signs are really positive. The technology is easy to use, and it will offer our business and our customers huge sustainability benefits in the long run.

“We are taking approximately 200 litres of diesel a week out of our operation, which is what our standard refrigerated trailers will use to keep the goods at the precise temperatures they need to be. To eliminate that with this electric unit is a significant saving we’re achieving already.”

Supplied by Aaron Howarth, Schmitz Cargobull area sales manager for the East Midlands, the S.KOe COOL launched for UK and Irish markets earlier this year. The new unit uses an electric S.CU ep85 cooling unit, battery system and electric generator axle which can recover energy during braking. To reduce the environmental footprint of the Mercedes-Benz Actros GigaSpace tractor unit the trailer is paired with, the truck is powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). 

Marshall said: “Our vehicles are all used for tramping operations, leaving the depot on a Monday morning and coming back on a Friday. Due to the lack of charging infrastructure, there just isn’t an electric option suitable for the prime mover at this moment in time. So, we need to cut our emissions in other ways.

“By using this electric trailer, which is generating its own energy through the electric axle as it travels, we are achieving the closest thing we can get to sustainable energy within our operation.”

About the Author

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Will Shiers

Will has been the editor of Commercial Motor magazine since 2011 and is the UK jury member of the International Truck of the Year.

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