Queensland-based transport giant becomes inaugural customer of Protran Solutions’ battery- and solar-powered refrigeration technology
Protran Solutions has announced that Wickham Freight Lines has become the first Australian business to deploy its Sunswap Endurance, a fully battery-electric, solar-charged refrigerated trailer unit.
Wickham Freight Lines – a family-owned transport company headquartered in Warwick, Queensland - said its decision to invest in technology marked a significant milestone in Australia’s transition toward zero-emission freight transport.
The decision followed a real-world operation from Sydney to Brisbane and back. The Sydney to Brisbane run covered 1,671km over 32 hours and left 67 per cent battery remaining.
“The performance, reliability and operational savings were beyond what we expected. For a business like ours running a large fleet across the East Coast, with a heavy focus on refrigerated and cold chain freight, this technology makes real commercial sense. We’re proud to be the first in Australia to commit to it, and we see this as the beginning of a broader shift in how we power our fleet,” said Graham Keogh, director at Wickham Freight Lines.
Grant Turner, managing director of Protran Solutions, said the field trial validated everything the team had set out to prove — and then some.
“Partnering with Wickham Freight Lines to deliver Australia’s very first Sunswap Endurance Unit is a proud moment for the entire Protran Solutions team. Wickhams are exactly the kind of forward-thinking, family-driven business that understands the long-term value of investing in sustainable technology,” said Turner.
“Their field testing was thorough and demanding – which is precisely what a technology like this deserves. To have them commit to purchase after that process is the strongest possible endorsement. We look forward to supporting them and to growing the Sunswap Endurance fleet right across Australia.”
According to Protran Solutions, its Sunswap Endurance unit is designed from the ground up to operate independently of diesel power, e-axles, and truck-derived electrical systems. Integrated solar panels replenish the battery continuously during daylight operation, while the high-capacity battery bank ensures uninterrupted performance through overnight transits, loading dock wait times, and extended runs where sun isn’t always available.
Keogh said the unit delivered savings and performance, and signalled a more sustainable future for the industry.
“We run a serious operation — refrigerated freight, long-distance runs, customers who rely on us to deliver on time and on temperature. Before we put any new technology into our fleet, we test it properly. The Sunswap Endurance Unit passed every test we threw at it. The energy savings are real, the cold chain performance is exactly what our customers expect and completing that kind of distance with more than half the battery still in reserve tells you everything about the reliability of this system,” said Keogh.
“We’re proud to be first in Australia — because we genuinely believe this is where the industry is heading, and we want to lead the way.”
