One of China’s leading domestic mining truck manufacturers, Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Co Ltd (XEMC), recently signed a contract with energy company SPIC for conversion of a 108 t class SF31904 AC drive rigid truck (an example of this truck type is shown) to run on all electric lithium battery power in Huolinhe coal mine, Inner Mongolia. XEMC told IM that the truck will be running by June 2021. XEMC estimates that a single truck can cut 2,700 t of carbon dioxide emissions each year while increasing efficiency by 15%.

The truck will be one of the first in the world to run on all battery in this size class. In Belarus, BELAZ has already assembled its 7558E 90 t class hauler, which is already undergoing tests at the factory. That will use 15 lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery modules (total 765 kWh). IM understands that the XEMC truck battery will have a power rating of 1,575 kWh using LiFePO4 batteries from Chinese battery giant CATL but that with this power the final truck will have a slightly higher payload capability of 120 t.

It is planned that the XEMC converted truck will be able to operate for an eight hour shift before charging and that charging would take one hour which would be done during the shift change. The company says that there are major challenges, notably how to closely integrate the energy consumption from the battery pack with the vehicle control system via power management. Some detail was given on the charging infrastructure, with the charging station consisting of 4 x 5 sets of charging connectors where all 20 can be used for charging at the same time and with each truck having four charging ports. The charging station will be installed in a fixed place in the mine. The truck will be capable of climbing a maximum gradient of 17%. In the future the company also says it will look at battery swapping as a way to reduce charging downtime. Ultimately XEMC is planning on making an all electric, cabless truck so it can be safely loaded at both front and rear.