Wickham Freight Lines becomes first Australian Sunswap Endurance customer

Queensland-based Wickham Freight Lines has become the first Australian customer for the Sunswap Endurance battery-electric, solar-assisted trailer refrigeration system, according to statements attributed to Wickham and Australian distributor Protran Solutions in industry reports published on 20–21 October.

The unit is reported to be fitted to a new FTE refrigerated trailer. Wickham’s decision followed an operational trial using a demonstrator trailer, testing whether the system could meet the demands of east-coast refrigerated freight.

From trial to fleet purchase

Industry reports describe a Sydney–Brisbane return trial spanning 1,671 kilometres over approximately 32 hours. Wickham director Graham Keogh said the fleet tested the system under normal operating conditions before deciding to buy. Protran Solutions managing director Grant Turner described the purchase as a milestone for the product’s Australian introduction.

The technology uses battery-electric refrigeration supported by roof-mounted solar generation and external charging, reducing reliance on conventional diesel-powered trailer refrigeration. The purchase is significant because it moves the product beyond a demonstration into a named Australian transport operator’s fleet.

Reported battery-charge figures for the trial differ between published accounts, so ACT has not adopted a specific remaining-charge or energy-saving percentage. The trial’s operating conditions, charge events and long-term cost results have not been independently verified by ACT. Manufacturer performance claims should not be treated as proven savings for every fleet.

What operators should watch

For cold-chain fleets, the practical questions are purchase and installation costs, charging arrangements, service coverage, temperature performance under mixed loads, vehicle downtime and whole-of-life costs. ACT will seek further verified operational detail as the Australian rollout develops.