California company offers no idle solution with all-electric system
Glacier Bay’s ClimaCab is an all-electric Auxiliary Power Unit consisting of several components, which are illustrated here. They include an evaporator, a touch-screen control panel, a battery bank, the Power Management Module and a condenser. (Courtesy Glacier Bay)
By JERRY BREEDEN
The Trucker Staff
12/11/2008
UNION CITY, Ca. — A California company is offering an all-electric, no-idle cab comfort product that doesn’t use diesel fuel like standard auxiliary power units.
ClimaCab minimizes maintenance and provides driver comfort as well as zero emissions, according to Kyle Houston, ClimaCab product manager.
“Power management,” Houston said, “an overlooked element of all-electric systems, is what truly differentiates Glacier Bay and makes the ClimaCab product line a complete solution.”
The strength of the company’s background lies in its focus on power and thermal management.
Relying on 19 years of development in power management technology, coupled with high-efficiency thermal management, Glacier Bay “now offers those in the trucking industry longer run times and superior in-cab comfort without the operating costs of diesel-powered Auxiliary Power Units,” said Houston.
ClimaCab is powered by four, deep-cycle Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries and intelligently directs the flow of energy between power sources, Houston explained. Utilizing the truck’s existing alternator, ClimaCab extends battery life by charging at factory-set algorithms during the truck’s normal operations.
The product uses no diesel fuel, requires minimal upkeep and is “completely emissions free,” said Houston. “Glacier Bay provides a proven technique in eliminating all extended idling,” which means a huge savings yearly for fleet owners.
A truck uses about 1.2 gallons per hour when idling. Multiply that by the cost of diesel and the savings becomes readily apparent.
Houston pointed out that there are hundreds of the all-electric, no-idle ClimaCab devices currently installed.
One Glacier Bay fleet customer, West Side Transport of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has a truck inventory of 450 units, plus 1,200 dry vans. West Side has installed ClimaCab’s all-electric radiant heat panels rather than the traditional fuel-fired heat.
West Side’s director of maintenance, Kevin Rankin, reported an “overwhelming” acceptance of the electric solution by its drivers.
Radiant heat is significantly more effective because the heat output is unaffected by air currents or poorly insulated sleeper cabs.
Glacier Bay’s patent-pending “intelligent control software maximizes efficiency [and allows] the system to respond in real time to temperature changes and ever-changing load requirements,” Houston noted.
He said the unit’s efficiency translates into longer run times while expending the least amount of energy. The power management module charges batteries “to factory-set profiles and the Start-Assist feature helps eliminate jump starts by fully recharging depleted starter batteries.”
Rankin said his drivers have been so impressed by ClimaCab that they are “practically begging” to get the unit installed in their rigs. “I have drivers reporting 21 hours of cooling runtime on a single charge [and] without the curtains pulled [back],” Rankin said.
Additional proof that West Side is doing the right thing when it comes to implementing green business practices is that the company has earned an EPA SmartWay rating of 1.25, which reflects outstanding performance and superior efficiency. As a result, according to Rankin, more customers “have called to inquire about West Side’s Smart-Way score than all previous years combined.”
Rankin went on to explain that Glacier Bay “is the only company that meets our standards for both eco-friendly technologies and outstanding performance. As a result, we can achieve optimal efficiency that benefits not only our customers, but also the environment.”
It appears that Glacier Bay is going to be in the industry for the long haul. It currently has about 100 employees and “we’re hiring all the time,” said Houston. “We’re growing daily, and that is testimony of our sustainable technology platform.”
Actually, Glacier Bay was founded in 1990 with the goal of developing and commercializing new, environmentally friendly technologies. The following year, that goal became reality with the introduction of the world's first non-ozone depleting system to the niche market of long-distance cruising sailboats. Timing of the product's release turned out to be particularly fortuitous. Congress at the time was hotly debating expansion of the previously ratified Montreal Protocol to completely eliminate ozone-depleting refrigerants. Established refrigeration system manufacturers opposed the legislation on the basis that technical challenges made it too risky to require transition to alternative refrigerants (HFC-134a) in such a short time frame.
For those who supported the agreement, the fact that a new start-up like Glacier Bay was able to conquer the technical problems gave strength to their argument. The agreement was ultimately signed and took effect in 1992.
Pricing information and additional details about the company are available by calling (510) 437-9100 or online at climacab.com.
West Side’s phone number is (800) 373-2957. The company is online at www.westideunlimited.com.
Jerry Breeden of The Trucker Staff can be reached to comment on this article at jerrybreeden@thetrucker.com.