TRAILAR
TRAILAR Overview / How Does It Work?
TRAILAR dedicates itself to creating innovative transport solutions, to reduce the environmental impact of commercial vehicles across the globe.
Based on the Department for Transport’s 2018 statistics report, the transport industry is now the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, moving ahead of the energy sector with an estimated 126.3 million tonnes of CO₂ emitted. This then leaves vehicle manufacturers and transport-based businesses the crucial task of reducing their impact to the environment, by innovating at every possible opportunity.
TRAILAR offers transport businesses an opportunity to reduce their emissions, through the application of cutting-edge solar technology to commercial vehicles, which power all ancillary equipment such as a tail lift and air-conditioning.
Flexible solar mats are applied to the vehicle’s roof and connected to the vehicle battery or additional onboard batteries.
Our TRAILAR “Smart Controller System” is then installed, containing an array of technologies including a charge controller, which is specifically designed for transport applications. This controller creates an interface with the vehicle’s alternator which is how the reduction in its use is achieved.
Once fully installed, the system will manage and recharge the vehicle’s battery thereby reducing fuel consumption. By doing so we also reduce the environmental impact of each vehicle journey.
Expanding Solution Range
Having a solution architecture as incredibly versatile as ours, is enabling us to look to a wider range of vehicle types in different sectors, which in turn allows us to reduce the total transport industry’s environmental impact.
With the original solution offered for a rigid truck, our TRAILAR team utilised the 2019 Commercial Vehicle Show as the perfect stage to unveil its newest exciting solutions and system features alongside our partners, Ryder and Truckcraft Bodies. The success of the show has given even more traction for the team to venture into new markets such as buses, coaches, welfare vans, recycling trucks and more with pioneering partners.
The first of these exciting solutions was the 3.5t refrigerated van, which has been created in partnership with Truckcraft Bodies. Given that the refrigeration unit is directly driven from the vehicle's engine, the TRAILAR solution steps in to create a new green power source from which the unit can draw from. This leads to a reduction in fuel use to maintain fridge temperature, which in turn reduces a customer’s emissions and fuel spend. The vehicle proved incredibly popular with contacts from UK’s largest supermarkets, with them seeing it as a huge opportunity to not only innovate their current home delivery fleet, but their future EV fleet also.
The second new product was the solution for both single and double deck trailers. This solution allows for a customer trailer to become electrically self-sufficient, removing the need to connect an Anderson lead to the tractor unit, with the tail lift and internal decks now using the free harvested energy to operate. As well as reducing maintenance costs and improving tractor fuel-efficiency, this self-sufficiency allows for increased operational readiness of each trailer. DHL Express UK were quick to recognise these benefits, with their new double deck trailers ordered for 2019, to be equipped with the trailer solution.
The final addition is the new version 3 “Smart Controller System”. With a new charge controller, increased number of sensors, GPS, and an improved IP rated casing, customers will now benefit from the most advanced system to date. They will also have the ability to view live data, through their own online dashboard.
Where Next?
The success of TRAILAR has been reflected by the 8 international awards won over the last 12 months, with the most recent being the 2019 German Innovation Award for B2B Energy Solutions. TRAILAR is committed to driving our industry towards a more sustainable future and in providing solutions that help both our global customers, and the communities around them with new generation transport solutions.
TRAILAR solutions are already reaching to customers in Europe, South & East Asia, Africa and Oceania, this global reach is ever expanding, with new potential customers arising across the America’s in Columbia, Mexico and Brazil.
With dedicated customers, pioneering partners and TRAILAR the applications are endless and will allow us all to reduce the global transport carbon footprint, for a greener and brighter future.
For more information, go to TRAILAR on Facebook and LinkedIn, @solartrailar on Twitter, @instatrailar on Instagram, or visit the website.