In an effort to reduce emissions in the mining industry, Hitachi Construction Machinery is currently testing a prototype battery-powered mega dump truck at the Kansanshi open-pit copper-gold mine in Zambia. The vehicle, which is based on the Hitachi EH4000 AC-3 dump truck, features a 2,500 horsepower Cummins engine, 74 cm tires, and a payload capacity of 221 tons.
Mining is known for being a highly polluting industry, but companies such as Hitachi Construction Machinery are making efforts to move towards net-zero emissions from mining machines. The project to develop a battery-powered electric dump truck is set to launch in June 2021, with First Quantum Minerals joining the partnership in 2023.
The electric dump trucks currently in operation at the mine use a combination of internal combustion engines and electricity, allowing them to reduce diesel emissions. The goal is to completely eliminate diesel emissions with the new battery-powered dump truck, which would be beneficial in Zambia where a large percentage of energy is sourced from renewables.
The dynamic charging setup of the dump truck eliminates the need to stop for charging and reduces the size of the onboard battery pack, leading to lower manufacturing costs and increased power efficiency. The project team is hopeful that the vehicle can operate continuously with the existing network of overhead charging lines. This innovative solution is seen as a practical and economically viable way to reduce emissions in the mining industry moving forward.
