Walmart puts Sunswap electric refrigeration live in Chile

Sunswap, the British cold chain technology company, is now running in live commercial operation in South America. Working through Chilean distribution partner Trailer Logistics, Sunswap refrigeration units are operating in the Walmart Chile supply chain on routes between Santiago, La Serena and Concepción - what Trailer Logistics describes as the first fully diesel-free logistics operation in Chile, with no diesel engine in the cab or on the trailer.

Hernán Searle, General Manager of Trailer Logistics, said: "This is not just about changing one type of engine for another. It is about building a more resilient logistics system, less exposed to external factors and aligned with the energy challenges of the future."

The economics of that shift are becoming harder to ignore. Operators running Sunswap have achieved up to 81% reduction in refrigeration operating costs versus diesel. In Chile, where refrigerated routes regularly cover hundreds of kilometres, the case for removing diesel from the cold chain is both operational and financial.

Chile's conditions work in the system's favour. High solar contribution extends operational range and reduces charging costs for temperature-controlled transport. And because Endurance runs on existing infrastructure - already present at any cold storage facility - there is no barrier to getting started.

Sunswap manufactures hardware, software, and service as a single integrated system. Every Endurance unit continuously monitors its own health, energy consumption, temperature, and performance. That data layer gives operators additional visibility across their fleet.

Mike Lowe, CEO of Sunswap, said: "Sunswap is now running in the supply chains of some of the world's most recognisable retailers - Tesco, Ocado and DFDS in Europe, Carrefour in France, and now Walmart in South America. But the reason global operators choose Sunswap isn't just that it keeps goods cold without diesel. It's that every unit we build is continuously watching the operation and improving it. Reducing cost, reducing maintenance, and giving operators more control."

The deployment reflects Walmart Chile's broader operational direction. The retailer is committed to zero emissions by 2030 and already operates electric trucks across parts of its fleet. Sunswap provides a solution to the challenge of diesel-powered refrigeration - the last point where diesel persisted in an otherwise electrifying operation.

Sunswap now runs in leading fleets in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.

About Sunswap

Sunswap is a British technology company giving fleet operators control over their cold chain. It provides hardware, software, and service as a single integrated system - so operators don't just keep goods cold, they run a cold chain they can see, manage, and improve. Sunswap operates from its manufacturing facility in the UK and is trusted by fleets worldwide everyday.

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