Thermo King said three Spanish transport companies — Barquín y Otxoa, Disfrimur and JCARRION — have added trailer fleets equipped with its Advancer AxlePower self-charging electric refrigeration system. The company said the deployments support a shift toward lower-emission refrigerated logistics in Spain and the wider Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
According to Thermo King, AxlePower is designed for trailer refrigeration units and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 12 tonnes per year (about 13.2 US tons) for distribution trailers. The system recovers energy during braking or downhill driving, stores it in battery packs and reuses it to power the refrigeration unit, without requiring connection to external power grids.
Thermo King said the system is tractor-independent and can be integrated into existing fleets for hybrid and fully electric refrigeration units. It said the technology uses smart power management to monitor road conditions, maximize kinetic and thermal energy recovery through the trailer’s e-axle, and disengage the e-axle during uphill climbs. AxlePower-equipped trailers have covered more than 5 million kilometres (about 3.1 million miles) in climates ranging from Scandinavia to South Africa, the company added.
Barquín y Otxoa said it has added a fully electric refrigerated trailer with a Thermo King Advancer-e unit powered by AxlePower. Disfrimur said it has added an Advancer AxlePower system refrigerated trailer as part of its “Invisible Transport” strategy. JCARRION said it has also incorporated the AxlePower system into its trailer fleet.
“Reducing fuel consumption is therefore most powerful lever for cutting emissions and costs,” said Claudio Zanframundo, president Thermo King EMEA Truck, Trailer, Bus and Global Marine, Rail, Air. Thermo King said the projects were carried out in partnership with Frigicoll, its authorized dealer in Spain and Portugal.
