Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) CEO Julie Shuttleworth and Fortescue Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest recently visited FFI’s research and development facility in Hazelmere, Perth, Australia where the FFI green team have been designing ground-breaking 100% carbon-free green hydrogen haul trucks. By the end of the decade, Fortescue has said its trucks will be running on renewable energy.

The first prototype truck is based on a converted Terex Unit Rig MT4400 AC mining truck, which has a 221 t (240 ton) payload. Amazingly, it took the FFI green team only 130 days to successfully trial renewable green hydrogen, green ammonia and battery power for trains, ship engines, surface crawler drills and haul trucks.

Next up will be the battery powered truck project which includes the design and construction of a bespoke battery electric powertrain with the ability to regenerate power as the truck travels downhill. The battery is being built by Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) at its facility in the United Kingdom, before being integrated at Hazelmere into a prototype haul truck for performance testing at Fortescue’s mining operations. To support the full implementation of a battery-electric haulage fleet, the project will also involve the development of a fast charging unit which will harness renewable energy from Fortescue’s Pilbara Energy Connect network.