Electric dump truck can run and charge at the same time

The prototype of the battery-powered mega dump truck is developed from the Hitachi EH4000 AC-3 dump truck, which is 14 meters long, has 74 cm tires, is equipped with a 2,500 horsepower Cummins engine and has a payload of 221 tons. It will undergo tests to verify the basic performance of the vehicle and the supporting infrastructure, New Atlas June 28 news.

Mining is a highly polluting industry, but companies like GM, Fortescue, Caterpillar and Anglo American have made efforts to reduce emissions during mining operations. Hitachi Construction Machinery, a subsidiary of Hitachi, is partnering with technology giant ABB to help mine operators move towards net-zero emissions from their mining machines. The project to develop a battery-powered electric dump truck is set to launch in June 2021.

In 2023, mining company First Quantum Minerals joined the partnership, agreeing to test the dump trucks at the Kansanshi copper-gold mine, where several Hitachi diesel-electric dump trucks are in operation. These diesel-electric vehicles move around the mine using an internal combustion engine like a conventional dump truck, but can also lift the transmission frame to overhead cables and run entirely on electricity.

The electric-only version will completely eliminate diesel emissions – a boon for mining in Zambia as around 92% of the country’s energy needs are met by renewable sources.

In January this year, preliminary testing of the battery-powered dump truck prototype was completed. The prototype has now been shipped to Zambia and has begun the next phase of testing at the Kansanshi mine. The project team hopes the vehicle can operate continuously thanks to the existing network of overhead charging lines.

While the vehicle’s power output is not disclosed, the dynamic charging setup eliminates the need to stop the vehicle to charge, and the size of the onboard battery pack is smaller than if the vehicle were powered solely by battery and motor. This should reduce manufacturing costs while maximizing power. “This system is an economically viable and practical solution to reduce emissions in the mining industry in the years to come,” said John Gregory, an advisor at First Quantum Minerals.