In Chile, transportation accounts for about 36% of energy consumption, and more than 99% of that energy comes from oil. In light of this scenario, Copec decided to get ahead of the future and make a strong bet on electromobility.
In our new podcast Work Hard Work Smart, we talk with Javier Swinburn, Manager of Energy Subsidiaries at Copec, who is leading the transformation that is changing the direction of the company: from fuel to clean energy, innovation, and electric mobility.
The early vision
In 2019, when electric cars were not yet on the roads in Chile, Copec was already looking abroad, to examples like Norway, to envision how to bring that revolution to the country.
In 2021, with Javier already on the team:
- An investment fund was created in Silicon Valley (Wind Ventures) to invest in global startups.
- New capabilities in renewable energy were acquired.
- Strategic alliances were forged, such as the investment in Optibus, a platform that uses AI for sustainable public transportation.
“We assembled a pool of subsidiaries that helped us tackle the challenges we were facing, but at the same time, we encountered a tremendous opportunity. What started in 2019 as charging and electromobility evolved into a new energy business.”
In addition, Copec Voltex was born, a subsidiary dedicated to charging infrastructure, with partnerships with automakers, local governments, and installation companies.
Chile today: progress and challenges
- In 2024, more than 4,500 electric vehicles were sold, a growth of 183% in one year.
- 1,300 charging points are already operational in the country, managed by Copec Voltex.
- New terminals, such as the Gabriela Terminal in Santiago, will allow for the charging of 88 electric buses and reduce 8,600 tons of CO₂ per year.
- The National Electromobility Strategy establishes that by 2035, all sales of light and medium vehicles must be zero emissions.
Nevertheless, challenges persist: unequal distribution of chargers, system interoperability, charging speed, territorial equity, and ensuring that electricity comes from renewable sources.
We thought: What can we do to be a driving force for change in the adoption of electromobility? And we found that there was a giant electric business and that it was a challenge for the industry, not only the mobility processes but also the processes within companies, their consumption.
How to do it radically better
"Our relationship is not with the fuel or what the fuel does, but with the customer"
From Copec's experience, Javier highlights lessons applicable to any industry:
- Forward vision + calculated risk → investing before mass adoption provides a strategic advantage.
- The customer at the center → it doesn't matter if you sell fuel or electricity, the key is to support their needs.
- Comprehensive infrastructure → public chargers + home chargers + reliable networks + maintenance.
- Intensive data use → connecting fuel, traffic, and energy information to optimize decisions.
- Strategic collaborations → bringing together startups, automotive brands, and governments in the same ecosystem.
Javier's great personal recommendation? Talk to people who know more than you and nourish yourselves.
Looking at the horizon
Chile a 100% electric future has been proposed for 2035.
To achieve this, it will be necessary to accelerate infrastructure, integrate less dense regions, and ensure truly clean energy.
As Javier says, it is about reimagining the purpose and the relationship with the customer: beyond fuel, building an operating model where electromobility is at the center of the business.
What does this conversation leave us with?
Electromobility is not just a technological change: it is a cultural, business, and social change. And Copec's experience shows that staying ahead of the future requires vision, calculated risk, and the conviction to put the customer at the center.
Because leading this transition is not just about installing chargers, but about building an ecosystem that transforms the way we move, consume, and think about energy.
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Javier Swinburn and learn how Copec is rewriting the history of mobility in Chile.
You can watch it on our channel or listen to it on your favorite podcast platform.
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