Keeping truck drivers cool and saving fuel at the same time

Tuesday, April 26th 2005, 6:30 am

By: News On 6

It's a "cool" idea that can save truck drivers thousands of dollars in fuel costs. Cherokee Nation Industries is producing a refrigeration unit that operates off six high-efficiency batteries, instead of the truck's engine.

Truckers spend a lot of time resting or sleeping in the cab with the engine idling and the air-conditioner running. With the battery-powered unit, they could save 2,500 gallons of fuel per year.

Cherokee Nation officials are excited about the potential business. Jim Majewski: "There's about two-and-a-half-million trucks on the market, on the road. In numbers, J.B. Hunt has like 100,000 trucks. Wal-Mart, I believe, has 70,000 or 80,000 trucks. The numbers are almost astronomical."

The batteries are made especially for Cherokee Industries. They recharge after about two hours of driving, and provide about 14 hours of power.

The units also have an inverter that makes AC power for TV's, computers, and other electronics.