KOLDVOLT Mini Refrigerated Trailers: Leasing vs. Purchasing?
With the continued explosive growth in global demand for cold chain logistics, the global sales of Refrigerated Trucks increased by 8.5% year-on-year in the first half of 2025. The cross-border transportation and local delivery of fresh food and pharmaceuticals are increasingly reliant on professional refrigeration equipment. Mini refrigerated trailers, as flexible and efficient cold chain transport vehicles, have become core equipment for small and medium-sized logistics companies, catering brands, and fresh food e-commerce. However, many buyers are struggling with the choice between leasing and purchasing KOLDVOLT mini refrigerated trailers: is leasing more cost-effective, or is direct purchase more economical? This article will analyze the optimal decision-making solution from core dimensions such as cost, flexibility, and asset value, combined with real-world global application cases.
I. Mini Refrigerated Trailer Leasing: A Flexible Choice for Low-Barrier Entry into the Cold Chain Industry
For most start-up cold chain companies or businesses with seasonal transportation needs, leasing is a wise choice for quickly entering the market. Leveraging its global network of over 50 partners, KOLDVOLT provides rental clients with standardized and customized solutions. Its core advantages are reflected in the following three points:
1. Zero initial investment, reducing financial pressure. Purchasing a professional refrigerated trailer equipped with a 4-inch PU insulation layer and capable of cooling to -20°C in 30 minutes requires incurring fixed costs such as equipment research and development, and manufacturing. Under the rental model, businesses only need to pay rental fees on a usage period basis, eliminating the need for a large upfront investment and allowing them to focus their cash flow on business expansion and optimizing their delivery network.
A North American fresh produce delivery company rented 10 KOLDVOLT 5x10ft refrigerated trailers during the 2024 blueberry harvest season. The company representative stated, “The peak season only lasts three months. Purchasing equipment leads to idleness during the off-season. Leasing allows us to acquire cold chain transportation capacity with precise temperature control up to -20°C at a cost of only a few hundred yuan per day, improving our capital turnover efficiency by 60%.”
2. Maintenance-Free, Focus on Core BusinessThe refrigeration units, insulation seals, and electrical systems of refrigerated trailers require regular maintenance. The interchangeable refrigeration units of the KOLDVOLT Plug2Go eliminate maintenance worries for leasing customers. According to the leasing agreement, equipment inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting are all handled by the KOLDVOLT global service team. Companies do not need to employ specialized technicians, saving on labor costs.
A South American restaurant chain once suffered a loss exceeding $10,000 due to a malfunction in the refrigeration unit of its own refrigerated trailer, resulting in the spoilage of a batch of frozen food. After switching to leasing KOLDVOLT mini refrigerated trailers, the company’s manager stated frankly, “Leasing not only avoided the risk of equipment downtime, but KOLDVOLT’s 24-hour emergency response ensured our cold chain delivery never stopped.”
3. Adjusting Capacity on Demand to Adapt to Business FluctuationsCold chain transportation demand exhibits significant seasonality and unpredictability—for example, the surge in fresh produce orders before Christmas in Europe and America, and emergency pharmaceutical deliveries during the rainy season in Southeast Asia. The biggest advantage of the leasing model is its “on-demand adjustment,” allowing companies to flexibly adjust the number of trailers and the leasing period based on order volume.
KOLDVOLT offers a variety of mini refrigerated trailer rental services, ranging from 5x10ft to 7x16ft, and supports various vehicle types such as vans, pickup trucks, and tricycles, perfectly matching the transportation needs of different scenarios.
Limitations of LeasingThe core drawback of leasing is the high long-term cost. If the annual usage period exceeds 10 months, the accumulated rental fee may exceed the equipment purchase price; furthermore, leased equipment cannot be recorded as a fixed asset and is difficult to customize to meet specific business needs.
II. Procurement of Small Refrigerated Trailers: A Long-Term Asset Investment for Cold Chain Development
For companies with stable operations and high annual transportation frequency, purchasing KOLDVOLT small refrigerated trailers is a more valuable long-term investment. As a cold chain equipment manufacturer with over 30 years of industry experience, KOLDVOLT products are renowned for their heavy-duty construction, efficient refrigeration, and exceptional durability. Their procurement value is reflected in three core dimensions:
1. Lower Long-Term Operating Costs and Shorter Return on Investment Period
Taking the KOLDVOLT 7x12ft commercial refrigerated trailer as an example, based on average daily operating costs, the cumulative cost after purchase is already lower than leasing after 18 months. If the equipment’s service life reaches 5 years (the average lifespan of a KOLDVOLT refrigerated trailer), the procurement cost is only 40% of the leasing cost.
A domestic cold chain company once calculated that the cost of purchasing a KOLDVOLT small refrigerated trailer is approximately US$30,000, while the total cost of leasing for 5 years under the same conditions is approximately US$75,000. The cost advantage of procurement is obvious. Furthermore, KOLDVOLT trailers feature a heavy-duty structure with 2mm FRP panels and a 4-inch PU insulation layer, enabling them to adapt to complex road conditions and reducing additional expenses due to equipment damage.
2. Clear Asset Ownership, Support for Customized Modifications
The purchased refrigerated trailers are considered fixed assets of the company and can be used for mortgage financing and asset liquidation. More importantly, KOLDVOLT supports full-process customization services—companies can customize functions such as temperature control range (-20℃~10℃), cargo box size, and loading and unloading methods according to the characteristics of the transported goods.
An Australian pharmaceutical logistics company purchased a batch of KOLDVOLT mini refrigerated trailers, customizing a full-process temperature monitoring system and vibration damping devices specifically for vaccine transportation. The company stated, “Customized procurement solutions allow our cold chain transportation to meet the stringent standards of the pharmaceutical industry, winning more orders from medical institutions.”
3. No Usage Restrictions, Adaptable to Diverse Scenarios Leased refrigerated trailers typically have limitations on mileage, duration, and temperature control range.
However, after purchasing equipment, companies can flexibly allocate resources according to business needs—it can be used for local fresh produce delivery or integrated into cross-border rail-sea intermodal transport networks. For example, in the case of Brazilian juice being transported across the ocean to China via refrigerated containers, using owned refrigerated trailers could achieve seamless end-to-end cold chain connectivity from port to warehouse to terminal.
Limitations of Procurement The core hurdle of procurement lies in the significant initial capital pressure and the risk of equipment depreciation. Unstable business volume may lead to equipment idleness, reducing asset utilization.
III. Leasing vs. Purchasing: A Comparison of Key Dimensions
To help buyers make informed decisions, we’ve provided a comprehensive comparison of KOLDVOLT’s refrigerated mini-truck leasing and purchasing options:
IV. Decision Guide: 3 Steps to Choose the Right Solution
Based on the practical experience of our global clients, we’ve summarized 3 key decision indicators to help you quickly determine the optimal solution for leasing or purchasing:
1. Consider Usage Duration: Prioritize Purchasing for Over 10 Months Per Year
If your company’s cold chain transportation needs are stable throughout the year (e.g., daily fresh produce delivery, routine pharmaceutical transportation), purchasing KOLDVOLT refrigerated mini-trucks offers better value; if the annual usage is less than 6 months (e.g., peak season fruit and vegetable harvesting, holiday gift delivery), leasing is more cost-effective.
2. Consider Financial Situation: Choose Leasing for Tight Cash Flow
For startups or micro-enterprises, cash flow is crucial for survival. Leasing helps companies obtain professional cold chain transportation capacity at minimal cost; while for medium and large enterprises with ample funds, purchasing equipment can be a long-term asset allocation, enhancing competitiveness. 3. Customization Needs: Direct Procurement for Personalized Functionality
If the transported goods have special requirements—such as end-to-end temperature traceability for pharmaceutical products or multi-temperature zone storage for fresh produce—deep customization services under the procurement model can better meet business needs. KOLDVOLT’s engineering team can follow up on the entire process from design to production according to customer needs, creating a customized cold chain solution.
V. Conclusion: KOLDVOLT—Dual Guarantee for Leasing and Procurement
Whether leasing or purchasing, KOLDVOLT’s small refrigerated trailers empower global cold chain companies with their core advantages of “high-efficiency refrigeration, heavy-duty durability, and flexible adaptability.” Its performance of cooling to -20°C in 30 minutes, flexible design suitable for Van/Truck/Tricycle, and Plug2Go easy-maintenance technology make cold chain transportation more efficient and worry-free.
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