When converting a panel van into a frigo kamyonet or frigolu kamyonet, the MEB module on refrigerated vehicle selection calls for K values of 0.32 (frozen product) to 0.40 W/m²·°C (chilled carriage) for body insulation; the same module notes that insulation material both reduces usable volume and, through its weight, reduces the load that can be carried. For the definition of a refrigerated vehicle see what a refrigerated vehicle is, and for the structure of the body see what a refrigerated body is made of.
Which vehicle class is a frigolu kamyonet?
The Highway Traffic Law defines a kamyonet as a motor vehicle built to carry goods whose maximum laden weight does not exceed 3,500 kg; it calls a kamyonet whose driver's compartment is joined to the body a panel van, and a goods vehicle above 3,500 kg a kamyon, or truck. The limit covers the vehicle's own weight together with the load: laden weight is the unladen weight plus driver, passengers and goods, so the payload shrinks as insulation and unit add to the unladen weight. Under the Highway Traffic Regulation a kamyonet is driven with a class B licence and a kamyon with class C1 or C.
What should you calculate before buying a frigo kamyonet?
| Item | Effect | To calculate before deciding |
|---|---|---|
| Internal volume | Reduced by insulation thickness and equipment | Net internal size, door aperture, number of crates carried |
| Payload | Reduced by insulation and unit weight | Maximum laden weight minus unladen weight and occupants; weighing after conversion |
| Fuel and power | Calculated separately for the selected unit | Longest stop, the unit's power source |
| Maintenance | New service items are added | Unit servicing and body checks |
| Regime | Depends on the target band and test conditions | Product, target band, entry temperature |
| Resale | Varies with the market and the documents | Body documents, repair history |
Because insulation goes on four walls, the ceiling and the floor, the thickness taken from each surface shrinks the net dimensions, and the unit, connections and floor reduce usable space further. 'Fits a Doblo' is therefore not a technical approval; how to read the net internal size is covered in refrigerated body dimensions and internal volume.
The annual lines, fuel, energy and maintenance included, are turned into an amount per trip through a cost per trip calculation. On a second-hand vehicle the body inspection follows the checks in what to check on a second-hand refrigerated body.
Jobs that suit conversion and jobs that suit a container. Conversion is right for all-day cold loads with many stops and a frequently opened door, where a unit calculation for the target band and load mass can be made. Registration, chassis limit and conversion file are checked together. In urban distribution, insulated containers with eutectic plates are used instead of converting the vehicle: a container encloses only the load, and the vehicle carries on with other work for the rest of the day.
A container suits better when the vehicle does other work part of the day, when cold loads are a small share of total volume, when the net dimensions or payload after conversion do not support the operation, or when the need is seasonal. The space a container takes on the return leg, its cleaning and its securing in the vehicle are written into the quote. The container and route inputs are collected under refrigerated vehicle alternative.
Working with containers leaves the vehicle free: insulated containers sit inside the body and move to another vehicle when needed.
What a quote needs
The quote needs the registration's maximum laden weight and unladen weight, make, model and year, current internal dimensions and door aperture, product, target band, entry temperature, daily mass and volume, route and stops, unit model and power type, and logger points. Aris Makina compares the scope on that basis; no single body size fits every vehicle.
Unit power and certification
In urban distribution the compressor is usually driven by the vehicle engine. The cooling unit runs while the engine runs, and when the engine stops, cooling stops: on long stops a separate power source or mains electricity closes the gap at extra cost. For fully electric light commercial vehicles, electric units such as the Thermo King E-Series are offered for panel-van use.
The MEB module recommends bodies that meet ATP requirements for cold chain quality and for the life of the cooling system. Because vehicle suitability is certified for perishable food transport, whether the conversion is built to qualify and how the certificate is obtained are settled before work starts, together with the payload.
