IM Efficiency and Wingliner announce strategic partnership at NUFAM Fair
Wingliner Orders SolarOnTop Technology to Power an Electric MAN Delivery Truck — Heineken Austria to Operate the First Unit
Karlsruhe, Germany – 26 September 2025 — At the NUFAM Commercial Vehicle Fair, IM Efficiency proudly announced a new partnership with Wingliner. During the fair, Wingliner purchased its first SolarOnTop system on site, alongside a commitment to 10 additional units.
The first Wingliner equipped with SolarOnTop will be operated by Heineken Austria combining innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in daily logistics operations.
Powering electric sider trailers with the Sun
With SolarOnTop®, the Wingliner system is powered directly by solar energy. By generating electricity from the sun, the trailer’s auxiliary systems including the electric hydraulic Wingliner side doors, no longer draw power from the truck’s main battery.
This has a direct impact on driving range: since less energy is taken from the truck’s battery to operate the trailer, more energy remains for propulsion. In practical terms, the truck can drive further on the same charge, effectively giving the driver “free kilometers” powered by sunlight.
It’s a sustainable, smart, and reliable solution: lowering operational costs, reducing downtime, and perfectly aligned with Wingliner’s innovative approach to trailer technology. In this way, the complete Wingliner system becomes CO₂ free.
The technology behind the SolarOnTop
The SolarOnTop technology is a modular onboard solar solution, designed to adapt to each truck and operational use case. For Wingliner, the system consists of:
-Lightweight solar modules installed on the trailer roof
-An intelligent energy management unit for optimal energy distribution between truck and trailer
By capturing solar energy while driving or parked, SolarOnTop ensures that the Electric Sider’s automatic side doors and auxiliary systems always have reliable, renewable power. Thanks to SolarOnTop’s smart energy management, power is distributed efficiently across truck and trailer systems, improving performance while lowering operational costs.
“It is great to cooperate with Wingliner, which is a very innovative, sustainability- and driver-health-aware company. With this cooperation, we show again how our product SolarOnTop can support transport companies to gain money and be more reliable. Together we will ‘make trucks love the sun.”
- Ruud Derks, Chief Strategy Manager of IM Efficiency
“I like that IM Efficiency is completely focused on the truck industry and understands the specific needs for solar panels on trucks and trailers.”
- Johann Strasser, Chief Executive Officer of Wingliner
Wingliner GmbH
Wingliner GmbH is an innovative truck body kit manufacturer based in Austria. We manufacture easy to assemble, state-of-the-art components and automated truck body kits. For over 20 years we have created customized kits for every type of delivery company around the world.