Thermo King Truck Products to Transition to Lower Global Warming Potential R452A Refrigerant in December 2022

Larger capacity single and multi-temperature truck units to come standard with the industry’s most sustainable refrigerant available, reducing GWP by nearly 50 percent.  

MINNEAPOLIS, November 29, 2022 — Thermo King, a strategic brand of global climate innovator Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), has announced that R452A refrigerant will be the standard option on single and multi-temperature truck refrigeration units manufactured in North America. The transition continues Thermo King’s journey to provide more sustainable options for customers.

The new lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) R452A refrigerant is available with Thermo King’s T-Series of large self-powered truck refrigeration units for Classes 5-7 as well as the manufacturer’s larger capacity direct-drive *V-Series truck refrigeration units for Classes 1-4, which offer frozen and deep-frozen setpoints. Thermo King previously announced the same option for its Precedent trailer units in January 2022.

“This is another step forward in helping customers meet both current and future regulations,” said Chris Tanaka, Vice President of Product Management, Thermo King Americas.

“Switching to R452A refrigerant will reduce direct CO₂ emissions by nearly 50% per unit, which can potentially add up to significant reductions quickly depending on fleet size. Thermo King is committed to offering progressive options that meet our customers’ unique sustainability goals.”

Self-powered truck refrigeration units (typically used on Class 5-7 trucks) are included in the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2023 requirement for all transport refrigeration units (TRUs) operating in California to use refrigerants with a GWP of 2200 or less. Direct-drive truck refrigeration units (typically used on Class 1-4 trucks) are not included in CARB’s 2023 regulation.

As part of the global transition to more sustainable refrigerants, Thermo King has been using R452A for its entire EMEA portfolio for several years and select products in North America and in Asia Pacific. With its 2030 Sustainability Commitments, Trane Technologies is helping solve for some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. These commitments include the Gigaton Challenge and leading by example with carbon-neutral operations across its own global footprint.

*Thermo King’s standard capacity V-Series truck units for fresh setpoints will continue to use lower GWP R134a refrigerant.