Petaluma Egg Farm will use electric-powered refrigeration trailers to transport its product to retail in California starting in 2025. The move could help the egg company improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and meet sustainability goals.
“Electric refrigerated trailers mark significant progress in the electrification of commercial trucking and provide a near-term and pragmatic solution for fleets of today and tomorrow,” Ali Javidan, CEO and founder, Range Energy, said.
Electric-powered trailers on trial
The transition to electric-powered refrigeration trailers follows a successful July 2024 pilot by Petaluma Egg Farm during which the technology was tested on long distance routes ranging from 100-440 miles as well as city distribution operations of 15 or more stops.
During the trial, all routes were serviced at 100% trailer uptime, where the trailer was charged during typical dwell times. The electric-powered trailers also delivered up to a 70% mile per gallon improvement in routes.
Electric vs gas
The electric-powered cold chain storage trailer technology is designed to easily install on existing equipment and can reduce carbon footprint and fuel usage while delivering the same product volume to grocery stores.
The trailer technology also features regenerative braking, which can help enhance the driver experience, road safety and give drivers more control over the truck. Regenerative braking can also help recharge the batteries, extending the life of brake pads and reducing engine stress.
Electric-powered trailers are less expensive and lower greenhouse gas emissions than gas-powered trailers, however they do require access to a regular power source, have a lower load rating and may not perform as well as gas-powered trailers.
Petaluma Egg Farm has produced natural, free range and organic eggs in Northern California since 1983, according to the company’s website.
