SALT LAKE CITY - Mountain West Truck Center, the largest Volvo and Mack truck dealer in the intermountain west, has signed an agreement to sell, install and service Idle Free electric APUs. They are based in Salt Lake City, Utah and have another parts and service location in St. George.

An auxiliary power unit (APU) is an aftermarket system that can be added to a Class 8 over-the-road truck to help the driver reduce discretionary idling.

The Idle Free electric APU differs from other idle-elimination systems because it is the most complete system available. It meets all driver needs -- heat, air conditioning and electricity to run a TV and computer -- without jeopardizing the productivity and longevity of the truck. The Idle Free electric APU is the only complete electric APU on the market and therefore will generate the fastest ROI of any system because of the significant fuel savings. 

Gary Pedersen, parts manager for Mountain West Truck Center says that signing on to represent the Idle Free electric APU helps them serve their customers better.

“We pride ourselves on being able to provide customers superior solutions to effectively run their business and make money,” he said. “Adding the Idle Free electric APU to our line of commercial and work truck offerings will help us help our customers stay productive and profitable.”

How it works
Robert Hopton, CEO of Idle Free Systems Inc., says that being able to provide a means to eliminate all of the reasons that drivers idle trucks is one of the main differentiating factors of the Idle Free APU.

“Heat, air conditioning, hotel needs and engine pre-heat, these are reasons why drivers idle their trucks. We designed a comprehensive, fully integrated APU solution that addresses all of these needs, completely eliminating the reasons driver would have to idle the truck,” he said.

In addition to being the most complete, the Idle Free APU is also one of the most efficient APUs on the market. This is because the system runs on alternating current.

Electric APUs that run on direct current suffer from lower efficiency, which translates to shorter APU battery life, less run time, and, most problematic, the risk that the APU could jeopardize the truck’s ability to start.  D/C-based systems, due to their higher amperage draw for the air conditioner, rely on the truck’s starter batteries as an additional power source to run the APU. With a D/C based system, operating the APU risks draining the truck’s starter batteries and therefore not being able to start the truck, thus negatively impacting productivity.

Idle Free’s A/C-based electric APU, on the other hand, is a more efficient system, resulting in longer APU battery life and completely eliminating any need to use the truck’s starter batteries to power the APU. The A/C-based system means the truck’s starter batteries will never be drained by the APU.

Expanding network
Idle Free Systems is rapidly expanding its network of sales and service dealers throughout the country. 

Hopton says that the addition of a mountain state dealer to its growing dealer network is helpful in providing nation-wide coverage to support sales and service of the Idle Free system.

“We are excited to be working with Mountain West Truck Center,” he said. “A dealer with their level of expertise and knowledge is a great benefit to our customers.”