Frigoblock behind Spain’s first refrigerated electric truck

GERMANY/SPAIN: A collaboration between transport refrigeration manufacturer Frigoblock and Alimerka supermarkets has brought the first fully electric refrigerated truck to the roads in Spain.

Alimerka estimates that the new electric MAN eTGM truck with Frigoblock’s inverter driven FK25i refrigeration unit will save them 60 tons of CO2 per year compared to traditional diesel fuelled vehicle with an annual mileage of 60,000km. 

In addition, the low-noise electric refrigerated truck enables Alimerka to make zero-emission urban deliveries outside of peak hours and at night.

The Spanish supermarket chain and distribution company is headquartered in Lugo de Llanera, in Asturias. The group has 168 supermarkets across the autonomous communities of Asturias, Castilla y León, Galicia and Cantabria.

The refrigerated has a range of 180km. This allows it to operate a full working day on last-mile routes in the urban areas of Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés. The recharging time of the vehicle is between 1 and 1.5 hours and is carried out using fast-charging chargers located in the Alimerka logistics centre. Part of the energy comes from the installation of more than 7,500 photovoltaic panels – the largest solar panel installation in the Asturias region.