Refrigerated Vans

Transport your products in a protected, temperature-controlled environment. Summit Bodyworks upfitted vans will keep your goods in the best condition until arriving at their destination.

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Summit Bodyworks custom vans are created to help you deliver your products anytime, anywhere. Whether you are transporting perishable foods across the country or driving supplies from the other side of town, our refrigerated van solutions will keep your business productive and your customers happy. 

All of our van solutions are fully compliant with the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Designed to protect food, beverages, and more on the road, each Summit Bodyworks van is easy to clean and temperature-controlled. We offer customized interiors so you can easily prevent cross-contact and allergy contamination. Our ergonomic floor plans make it simple to maintain sanitary working conditions for your staff. 

Thanks to our partnerships with leaders in the refrigeration industry, each Summit Bodyworks van is upfit with great attention to detail and structural integrity. Our vans come equipped with insulated panels, prefabricated for simple installation and years of durability. Each van is also outfitted with Zanotti’s high-quality refrigeration units that range from invisible to direct drive to battery units in split and monoblock versions. Available in a variety of styles, these units can be used for fresh or frozen applications, small or large containers, and heating and shore power.

  • Trusted Manufacturer Partnerships

    At Summit Bodyworks, we bring you an extensive network of trusted manufacturers. From the powerful refrigeration technology of refrigeration company Zanotti to the insulated panels system designed by industry-leading manufacturers, we can customize your refrigerated van with all the features you need.

  • Interior Customization

    No matter what industry you’re in, we will work with you to create a customized vehicle that fits your exact needs. Choose from a variety of options, including built-in shelving and multiple entrance options, to create the design that works best for you.

  • Efficient Cooling

    Our state-of-the-art cooling systems and insulation panels will keep your products refrigerated or frozen for as long as necessary. Built with optimized equipment, our systems bring you excellent value and don’t waste energy.

  • Full FSMA Compliance

    Each refrigerated vehicle we build is completely up to date with the rules and regulations included in the FSMA. You can know with certainty that the goods in your vehicle will be sanitary, safe, protected, and temperature-controlled.

  • Varied Door Options

    For easy access to cargo, our vans can be ordered with a range of door options. Choose from side entrances, rear doors, cab-to-cargo doors, and more to ensure that your goods are always within reach.

Hybrid and all-electric solutions are available for many of our vehicle applications.

Going electric is a great way to increase efficiency and save on costs. As an industry leader in all-electric solutions, we offer custom, innovative solutions that are better for the environment AND your bottom line.

Hybrid & All-Electric Specialty Vehicles
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Up to 85% less operating costs

100% electric & Hybrid options

Ford eQVM approved

Carb certified

Up to 66% less maintenance costs

Incredible performance

Safe and reliable

Smooth operation

Over-the-air updates

Frequently Asked Questions

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What are refrigerated vans used for?

Refrigerated vans are used by many businesses to transport food and other perishable goods that need to be kept at a certain temperature. While fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood are the most common type of product in refrigerated vans, these vans can also transport medicine, plants, flowers, health and beauty products, and even animals such as penguins and honey bees. 

Refrigerated vans are required by FDA law to maintain a certain temperature while in transit. Most vans are temperature-controlled by the driver and have a setting that allows them to stay on throughout the night. Because of their small size, vans are often used to transport relatively small loads of products. They can also be used in conjunction with trucks for overflow storage.

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How does a refrigerated van work?

Similar to a refrigerator, a refrigerated van is specially built with a cooling system and thick insulation that work together to maintain a cool temperature.The cooling system consists of coolant fluid, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a network of pipes and hoses connecting these together. The compressor takes the coolant vapor and sends it to the condenser where it becomes a liquid. The coolant liquid goes from the condenser to the evaporator where the heat from inside the vehicle is collected. The coolant fluid cools the inside temperature of the vehicle as it changes back to a vapor. The vapor returns back through the compressor where the entire cooling cycle repeats. This process cools the van down. 

In addition, the walls of a refrigerated van are lined with a tightly packed form of insulation. This keeps the cold temperatures inside the refrigerated part of the vehicle, and it protects the refrigerated body of the van from the exterior heat and the heat generated by the engine. The entire process is controlled with a thermostat and can be raised and lowered to the optimal temperature required by the products in the van.

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What type of entrance doors are found on a refrigerated van?

Refrigerated vans can be outfitted with a variety of doors from the sides, back, and front. A roll-up door lifts from the back or side to allow easy loading and unloading. Swing doors do just what their name suggests; they swing open from the back or sides of the vehicle, allowing access to the goods. Panel swing doors also swing open; however, both doors fold like an accordion as well.

A van with a single-panel side door will open from the side, usually right behind the passenger door of the vehicle. This gives you an extra point of entry, so you can access the goods from the front of the van body as well as the rear. Finally, a narrow opening swing door is a small door at the side or rear of the vehicle that acts as a quick point of entry.

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How large is a refrigerated van?

A refrigerated van may measure anywhere from 12 feet to 28 feet in length, 90 inches to 102 inches in width, and 79 inches to 109 inches in height. Refrigerated vans, also called reefer vans, are a great alternative to larger trucks. The body size makes it simple to access all the products that are in the van, especially if the vehicle is outfitted with multiple entrance points. While refrigerated trucks are frequently used to transport food items and medicines over long distances, vans may be operated by local grocery stores, restaurants, school districts, and more. They can also be used as overflow storage for trucks, and they are a high-quality and cost-efficient option.

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What temperature is the inside of a refrigerated van?

A refrigerated van is controlled by a thermostat and a sophisticated cooling system. This allows the driver to manually adjust the temperature to the requirements of the products that are being transported. In general, refrigerated trucks can maintain a temperature of anywhere from -20 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact temperature will vary, depending on whether the van is being used to transport food, medication, plants, beauty products, or animals.

However, most of the time, the temperature-controlled section of a refrigerated van is kept at a temperature of between 37 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the range at which perishable foods can be safely stored. According to the FDA, perishable food such as meat, dairy, poultry, fish, and cooked leftovers must be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes above this range, the food will spoil and must be thrown out.

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Our Difference

We operate at the highest level

At Summit Bodyworks, we don’t take no for an answer. We innovate and problem-solve. We don’t follow industry trends; we create them. We serve our customers with smiles on our faces and integrity as our foundation. When it comes to our work, decades of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into perfecting our crafts. Our team of project managers, engineers, account managers, and technicians work together to ensure our quality is excellent and our process smooth. As an industry leader, we’re confident that the service and support you’ll receive from Summit Bodyworks simply cannot be matched.

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Innovation
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Integrity

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