UK-based start-up Sunswap has secured a $10 million commitment from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to support the rollout of more than 100 of its fully electric, solar-powered Endurance refrigeration units in Australia.
Sunswap CEO and co-founder Michael Lowe announced the news to attendees at the TruckShowX conference and expo in the Hunter Valley, NSW, today.
“Cold chain logistics has relied on diesel-powered refrigeration for decades,” Lowe said.
“The load stays cold, but everything else – the fuel cost, high maintenance, limited operational insights – has been accepted as the price of doing business.
“We built Endurance to change that calculation. Today, we are relied on by major fleets and retailers across Europe and South America. The CEFC investment puts more units on Australian roads, giving operators access to electric refrigeration that cuts operating costs, handles Australian distances, and comes with the service infrastructure to back it up.”
Sunswap has been manufacturing refrigeration units in the UK since 2024 and has already built a growing customer base across Britain and Europe.
It made an immediate impact in Australia earlier this year when a B-double set, with a refrigerated tag trailer operating entirely on battery-electric power charged by solar energy, successfully completed a 1671-kilometre round trip between Sydney and Brisbane.
The trial was completed by Protran Solutions, together with Sunswap Endurance.
“Australian refrigerated transport has put up with diesel’s costs and limitations for too long, not because operators wanted to, but because there simply wasn’t a credible alternative. Sunswap changes that,” said Protran Solutions General Manager Grant Turner, who is putting the full weight of his considerable sector experience behind the new tech.
“The Sydney to Brisbane trial run without recharging shows the technology actually performed in Australian conditions. This investment puts more of that capability on Australian roads, and I genuinely believe it’s the beginning of a significant shift for this industry.”
The refrigeration system uses battery-powered transport refrigeration units supported by rooftop solar panels and optional grid charging.
Everything is mounted at the front of the trailer, freeing up space underneath for axles, pallet boxes and other equipment.
Lowe said the Sunswap technology is about more than simply reducing emissions.
The company claims operators are also seeing operational and commercial advantages, including reduced diesel costs, improved uptime and access to more work from customers focused on sustainability targets.
A key part of the system is the data collection capability built into the refrigeration units, which allows operators to monitor fleet performance in real time.
With refrigerated transport heavily reliant on diesel-powered systems, Sunswap also believes falling battery prices and Australia’s strong solar conditions create a major opportunity for electrified cold chain operations.
The CEFC investment comes through the Powering Australia Technology Fund to accelerate the availability of this technology in Australia by addressing a key barrier to adoption: the upfront costs of manufacturing and importing advanced refrigeration units.
“Transport refrigeration is critical to Australia’s food and pharmaceutical supply chains,” added CEFC Head of Growth Capital, Malcolm Thornton.
“Supporting proven electric alternatives enables emissions reductions, improved air quality and lower operating costs for Australian businesses.”