Woolworths and DP World have quietly been gearing up their fleet game, expanding the rollout of Africa’s first AxlePower-powered refrigerated trailers to a total of 16 units now running on South African and Namibian long-haul routes.
The system, first introduced in January 2024, uses kinetic energy generated while the trailer is moving to power the refrigeration unit. In simple terms, the trailer creates its own electricity while rolling, keeping loads cold without relying on the truck’s diesel motor. That means fully electric cooling and zero emissions from the refrigeration unit itself.
For an industry hammered by fuel costs and environmental pressure, this tech is a serious step forward. Long-haul cold chain rigs typically burn extra diesel to power fridges, and on the Johannesburg-Cape Town stretch or runs up into Namibia, that adds up quickly.
According to Woolworths sustainability head Feroz Koor, the first 12 units already on the road saved about 102 tonnes of carbon emissions last year alone. The additional four trailers bring the fleet to 16, with a target of 21 units by June 2026.
These trailers are mostly being used on long-distance Woolworths food distribution routes, where the cooling requirements are heavy and uninterrupted power is crucial.
The project forms part of Woolworths’ Vision2025+ sustainability programme aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. While the retail giant gets credit for pushing the envelope, the move also signals growing pressure on logistics providers to upgrade fleets and cut emissions without compromising reliability.
With trucking under the spotlight for pollution and rising operational costs, innovations like AxlePower could change the long-haul game if adopted more widely.
For now, these green rigs are some of the coolest trucks on the road literally, and they’re quietly setting the pace for sustainable transport in southern Africa.
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