Four finalists have been named in the Sustainability Initiative Award category of the 2026 Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia National Awards.
This award recognises HVIA member organisations that have taken meaningful action to improve environmental outcomes within the heavy vehicle industry.
The initiatives may contribute to a zero-emissions transport future through enabling technology, infrastructure, business model innovation or supply chain collaboration. They may also reflect circular economy principles such as reducing waste, extending product lifespan, or enabling reuse, remanufacturing or material recovery.
The 2026 finalists are:
Cooler: Electric Ute Refrigeration System
Cooler has developed an electric transport-refrigeration system designed to replace the petrol or diesel auxiliary generators traditionally used to keep refrigerated delivery vehicles cold.
Originally developed in response to a customer requirement for deep-freeze deliveries subject to noise restrictions, the system combines a 12-volt DC scroll compressor with battery-based refrigeration. It allows the vehicle to maintain refrigerated operation without running a separate combustion engine, reducing both local emissions and noise.
The modular approach can be adapted to other utes, vans and rigid vehicles, including both new-build and retrofit applications – providing a pathway to reduce the environmental impact of refrigerated transport without requiring the vehicle itself to be replaced.
go EV: Linfox BevChain Laverton North Heavy-Electric-Truck Charging Solution
go EV designed and commissioned a 2.3 MW distributed charging system at Linfox’s BevChain facility in Laverton North, creating infrastructure capable of supporting heavy electric trucks at operational scale.
The hub incorporates 16 charging bays, including six capable of charging at up to 500 kW, with dynamic load management allocating available power according to vehicle requirements.
Already supporting electric prime movers operating from the site, the system has been designed to grow with the fleet. Its distributed architecture allows charging capacity and individual bays to be added incrementally, demonstrating an approach to depot electrification that can expand as operational requirements and electric fleets evolve.
Protran Solutions: Sunswap Endurance
Protran Solutions has introduced the Sunswap Endurance battery-electric, solar-assisted transport refrigeration unit to Australia and New Zealand, replacing the separate diesel engine traditionally used to refrigerate trailers.
The system combines a 71 kWh battery with roof-mounted solar generation and electric refrigeration equipment and has been trialled across metropolitan grocery distribution, long-haul and frozen-freight applications.
For a representative line-haul duty cycle, the nomination estimates that replacing a conventional diesel refrigeration unit could avoid around 7,500 litres of diesel and approximately 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide per unit each year. The technology provides an alternative pathway to reducing emissions from refrigerated freight – addressing the refrigeration system independently of the truck powering it.
Zenobē Australia: Mascot Electric Vehicle Charging Hub
Zenobē Australia has developed a multi-user heavy-vehicle charging hub at Mascot designed to address some of the practical barriers facing fleet electrification, including depot space, grid capacity and the upfront cost of vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Rather than requiring individual fleets to establish all of their own infrastructure, the model combines shared charging facilities with financing and operational support. The Mascot hub currently supports 20 Woolworths electric trucks undertaking metropolitan delivery routes.
By allowing fleets to share charging assets and available grid capacity, the approach provides an alternative to traditional depot-based charging and a model that could be replicated in other freight locations where space, power availability or infrastructure costs constrain electric-vehicle adoption.
The winners of the 2026 Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia National Awards will be announced at the HVIA Gala Dinner on Thursday, December 3 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.