Webasto BlueCool Truck Commences Idle-Free Technology Tour

Cross-Country Tour to Show No-Idle Bunk Cooling System for Commercial Truck Cabs and the Positive Effects on Reducing Emissions, Fuel Savings, Increased Driver Comfort and Safety

FENTON, Mich., June 26 -- Growing concerns about high fuel costs and increased vehicle emissions hurting the earth's atmosphere are just two reasons Webasto has developed new idle-free technology for the commercial trucking industry. One of Webasto's new product technologies, called BlueCool Truck, is installed on tractor-trailers to keep interior bunk temperatures near 70 degrees for up to 10 hours, allowing drivers to sleep comfortably, without idling their truck engine.

The fuel savings alone allows the BlueCool Truck system to amortize in a short time, because a traditional idling truck diesel engine consumes about one gallon of fuel per hour. Unlike Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) on the market, BlueCool Truck does not use the vehicle's fuel, and puts out zero emissions. Fleets and owner-operators can accrue fuel savings of thousands of dollars by utilizing the BlueCool Truck system.

Webasto is taking the BlueCool Truck technology on a cross-country tour this summer to additionally demonstrate its enormous potential to meet the demands of ever-increasing environmental legislation, while also providing a chance for drivers to stay cool in the heat of summer rest-time stops.

With only limited options available until now, truckers have regularly idled their engines to run the factory-installed air conditioning if they wish to rest comfortably when summer temperatures rise. But legislation in more than 20 states and Canada, plus increased pressure nationally from the EPA, is making that practice illegal. In most cases, local laws prohibit the idling of diesel-fueled commercial motor vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds for more than five minutes when not engaged in work activities. Additionally, city mayors of at least 225 major metropolitan areas nationwide have recently taken a pledge to adopt laws and policies (including anti-idling legislation) that support the goals of the Kyoto Protocol.

"BlueCool Truck technology allows drivers to rest comfortably, conform to state and local environmental laws and, at the same time, save considerable amounts of fuel that would otherwise be burned up idling the truck's engine," said Don Kanneth, Director, Sales Services, Heavy Duty Thermo, Webasto Product North America. "In this day of high fuel prices and the need to conserve natural resources, this truly is a win-win situation."

Demonstration of the new BlueCool technology starts today in the southeastern United States, and travels along the Gulf Coast and lower Midwest, before heading to the Southwest and West Coast in early August. BlueCool Truck, as well as other idle-free technologies, are fitted in a Class 8 Webasto Project Vehicle, with planned stops at selected cities for product demonstrations to fleet owners, truck aftermarket installers, owner operators, dealers and legislators in government and environmental programs. Webasto's BlueCool Truck team will host receptions at hotel conference centers, providing attendees the chance to win a BlueCool Truck unit. Another objective is to secure installation and service facilities additional to the expansive Webasto distribution network in place.

Designed for no-idle bunk cooling while the driver sleeps, BlueCool Truck is charged while the truck is moving down the road. It provides cool cabin air via stored thermal energy, and uses minimal 12-volt power to run fans and circulate the coolant. The patented (with additional patents pending) BlueCool Truck system uses no diesel fuel during the cooling operation because it runs independently of the vehicle's air conditioning system. It uses only small amounts of electricity to circulate super chilled coolant between Webasto's innovative cold storage unit and a heat exchanger in the truck sleeper cab -- all run by four small, exceptionally quiet air distribution fans.

Cities which Webasto plans to visit include: Starting in Charlotte, NC, then moving to Columbia, Atlanta, Birmingham, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Little Rock, Fayetteville, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Albuquerque, and Phoenix.

"Truck dealership customers are looking for this type of new technology, but few dealers are fully aware of what's available so we wanted to take the technology to them," said Reid Landis, Webasto Marketing Specialist - Truck Division. "End users can enjoy quicker payback with the combination of new technology and the ever-increasing price of fuel."

Webasto Product North America, Inc., based in Fenton, Michigan, provides a wide range of thermosystems and other products to the heavy-duty truck OEM and aftermarkets, as well as passenger vehicle, RV, defense, cargo and marine industries. It is a subsidiary of Webasto AG, one of the world's largest suppliers of open roof systems and thermosystems to the automotive industry. The 104-year old company is based in Stockdorf, Germany and employs over 6,200 people in 43 countries. For additional information go to http://www.webasto.us/ or call (800) 215-7010.