eTRU – Energy efficient and reliable control systems and power conversion chains for plug-in battery electric transport refrigeration units applied in semi-trailers

The eTRU project develops and demonstrates energy efficient and reliable control systems and
power conversion chains for plug-in battery electric Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs), applied
in semi-trailers. Electric powering of the TRUs enables zero CO2 and particles emissions as well as
lower noise levels.
Innovation efforts focus on control and regulation systems as well as power electronic components
and solutions targeted at the very large horizontal market for electrically powered TRUs for
terrestrial transport. A mock-up prototype of a fully electric standard refrigerated semi-trailer will
be built. Subsequently, eTRU functional prototypes will be made and road tested leading to a pilot
series that will be demonstrated with selected test-users.
The total global market for the eTRU solution is 132,000 annually produced new refrigerated semitrailers.
The potential market within retail distribution is around half of it, and the EU will become
the first served market with 18,000 units per year. It is assessed that Bitzer Electronics A/S can get
at market share of 10% of the served market in 2025, three years after the project completion. This
implies a corresponding projected increase in turnover of around 36 million DKK, providing
approximately 12 new jobs.