Australia’s First Solar-Powered Reefer Units Hit the Road with Wickham Freight Lines

Wickham Freight Lines, a family-owned transport company, has taken delivery of Australia’s first regular production solar-powered electric trailer refrigeration unit (TRU). The Sunswap Endurance unit, which can keep food and pharmaceuticals cold in transit without burning diesel fuel, was trialed on a 1,670 km route from Sydney to Brisbane and back, with impressive results. The trial showed that the unit could maintain over 65% of its battery capacity after more than 30 hours of driving, leading Wickham Freight Lines to purchase the unit. The company’s director, Graham Keogh, praised the technology, citing its performance, reliability, and operational savings as exceeding expectations. The Sunswap Endurance unit is a significant innovation in reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution from refrigerated trailers, which are critical for hauling fresh food and flowers but traditionally rely on high sulfur, red-dye diesel-powered generators. With this technology, Wickham Freight Lines aims to reduce its environmental impact while also saving on operational costs.