Senior executives from some of the world’s top mining companies including Rio Tinto, BHP, Freeport McMoRan, Newmont and Teck Resources were among the first to see Caterpillar Inc’s first battery electric mining truck in person last week at a special Early Learner Summit at its Proving Grounds in Tucson, Arizona – they have revealed in several online posts that the company’s first battery mining truck prototype is based on the 793 platform, the most recent diesel version of which is the new 244 t class version only just launched in November 2022 which replaced the 231 t 793F. The new truck was badged 793 Electric.
The 793 is the battery truck that forms part of Caterpillar’s zero emissions agreement with Rio Tinto (deployment of 35-strong zero emissions and autonomous 793 fleet at the new Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Australia). Rio will be one of the first to get to try out an early learner Cat battery truck. Teck will also get to try out an early learner before it gets its final battery fleet in Elk Valley Coal in BC, Canada, beginning in 2027, which will also include an electric version of the 297 t 794. Other companies with zero emissions alliance agreements with Caterpillar include BHP, Freeport and Newmont as mentioned but also Antofagasta Minerals as well as additional groups.
And to give credit to Caterpillar, this latest development means it has kept good on its word so far. In its 2022 Investor Day presentation on May 17, Caterpillar Group President of Resource Industries – Denise Johnson said on its battery truck roadmap: “Our accelerated development will be done at customer minesites. By later this year we will have prototypes running at our Tucson Proving Grounds, where we will validate our technical assumptions and complete machine technical feasibility. By early 2024, we are sending what we call early learner units to customer sites where we will refine the requirements and do process development and product and technology validation.”
Going forward, more will be revealed about Caterpillar’s battery electric truck program, including how it will work with Cat’s autonomous haulage system Command for hauling. Johnson told IM in 2021: “Technology is the key to optimise battery performance, battery life, and production. And we have conversations every day with mining customers on these sorts of issues. Autonomy is going to be a part of the future for almost all major mines as well as many of the smaller ones, so it will go hand in hand with electrification.” She added on introduction: “Aside from some greenfield projects there will be a phased introduction where mines have large existing fleets. So yes, the new power trucks will coexist for some time at many mines with conventional trucks – they will be ‘feathered in’ if you will.”