The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has committed up to $10 million to drive the introduction of low-emissions electric transport refrigeration in Australia to cut diesel use and reduce emissions across the cold chain logistics sector.
The investment through the Powering Australia Technology Fund aims to accelerate the availability of UK-based company Sunswap’s fully electric, solar-assisted refrigeration units, called Endurance, which are designed to replace diesel-powered units commonly fitted to refrigerated trailers.
CEFC Head of Growth Capital Malcolm Thornton says the investment seeks to address 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. Supporting proven electric alternatives enables emissions reductions, improved air quality and lower operating costs for Australian businesses,” he says.
The CEFC investment will support the deployment of more than 100 Sunswap Endurance units across the Australian refrigeration retail and logistics fleets, building on existing deployments with local Australian distribution partner, Protran Solutions.
The technology has already demonstrated strong performance in Australian conditions, including a three-day trial on a 1,671km route between Sydney and Brisbane without the need for enroute charging, finishing with 62 per cent battery remaining. High solar contribution, particularly given Australia’s climate, is expected to play a key role in reducing electricity demand and operating costs.
Sunswap CEO and Co-founder, Michael Lowe, who is speaking at HVIA’s TruckShowX 2026 conference being held this week at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley, says the CEFC investment will put 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”.
“Cold chain logistics has relied on diesel-powered refrigeration for decades. 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,” he says.
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