Xantrex is celebrating 25 years of its Freedom series of products, manufacturing its first inverter in 1992.

The first Freedom inverter was a microprocessor-controlled inverter originally designed for boats and RVs. It was later applied to heavy-duty truck sleeper cabs for companies like Mack, Volvo, Freightliner, Western Star and Peterbilt.

The earliest truck inverters were mostly low-frequency, transformer based heavy inverters like Xantrex’s Freedom458. However, in the past few years, truck manufacturers have switched to more compact and lightweight, high-frequency based products, according to a company representative.

"While the Freedom 458 is the bestselling inverter of all time in the RV and marine markets, the Freedom HF dominates the heavy-duty truck market," said Richard Gaudet, vice president of Xantrex business at Schneider Electric. 

In recent years, anti-idling regulations have increased the need for inverters for the heavy-duty trucking industry. Increased use of battery-based APUs, many of which have integrated inverters to power air conditioners and other hotel loads, has also propelled the use of products.

"There are more boats and vehicles including RVs and trucks with a Freedom product than any other make or model," said Gaudet. “Original equipment manufacturers in both recreational and commercial applications rely on Freedom solutions for AC power and battery charging needs.”