Tag Archives: Huber Automotive

CoolPlanet and Huber Automotive partner on ‘end-to-end decarbonisation solution’

CoolPlanet, a global decarbonisation firm, and Huber Automotive AG, an automotive supplier, have joined forces to create what they say is the safest, cleanest, most efficient mining vehicle in the world – at scale.

Under the partnership, CoolPlanet will integrate its analytics, reporting and driver safety system into Huber’s Electric Land Cruiser, as well as offering its wider decarbonisation management system, CoolPlanetOS, to help mines significantly reduce their carbon emissions.

The partnership will leverage the strengths of both companies to offer mining companies an end-to-end decarbonisation solution that can help reduce their carbon footprint and operating costs, without compromising safety and efficiency, they say. CoolPlanet’s solutions will help improve the safety of fleet operations at mines via the integration of collision avoidance systems.

“CoolPlanet and Huber’s world-leading engineering teams aim to help mines make an immediate impact on their emissions – with the light mining vehicle – and with an infrastructure that can help decarbonise the entire mine,” CoolPlanet Chairman, Norman Crowley, said. “Mines will be able to eliminate diesel particulate matter and maximise vehicle safety, which is crucial considering mining vehicles account for 28% of all deaths in mining. The partnership will also enable mines to maximise their energy resiliency and efficiency while minimising environmental impact.”

CoolPlanet calls itself a global leader in industrial-scale decarbonisation, known for its approach to reducing energy consumption and emissions across various industries, including industrial, food & beverage, mobility and commercial sectors worldwide. Leveraging bespoke software, advanced engineering and unparalleled expertise, CoolPlanet helps complex organisations reach net zero faster, at scale, it says.

Huber is a leading provider of battery-electric vehicles and solutions for the mining industry. The company’s Electric Cruiser System kit is a turnkey solution that converts traditional diesel-powered vehicles to battery-electric power. Huber offers fully converted vehicles to the global mining industry through specialised local distributors. Its launch vehicle is a battery-electric powered Toyota LandCruiser 79 series vehicle converted on an automotive assembly line, and available in production volumes.

The companies said: “The partnership between Huber and CoolPlanet is a significant step forward in the development of sustainable mining solutions. The collaborative efforts of CoolPlanet and Huber will help mining companies address their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Huber’s product will play a pivotal role in reducing Scope 1 emissions, while CoolPlanet’s solutions will facilitate the tracking and reduction of Scope 2 emissions.”

Huber Automotive improves productivity and safety of battery-electric utility vehicle

Huber Automotive AG has presented an optimised version of its RUN-E Electric Cruiser, an emission-free power package designed for mining applications.

Like the original version, the RUN-E Electric Cruiser is designed for use in extreme environments, but the electrified version of the Toyota Land Cruiser J7 ensures improved air quality, reduced noise pollution and operating cost savings underground, according to the company.

This new, optimised version of the Electric Cruiser follows several deployments in the underground mining field. According to Mathias Koch, Key Account Manager for Huber Automotive’s Hybrid & E-Drive division, units have been on duty since mid-2016 in German salt mines. The company has also sent vehicles to Chile, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Meanwhile, units to be delivered in the March quarter to Germany, Ireland and Canada are likely to benefit from the latest updates.

The E-drive system on the new version consists of series components from suppliers such as Bosch, all of which are arranged in a new architecture to integrate the “individual characteristic strengths”, Huber said.

This is made possible by the core of the system: “an innovative control unit from Huber Automotive AG, which, based on a 32-bit power architecture, causes the individual components to perform at their best under ideal thermal conditions”, it said.

The central vehicle control system of the automotive supplier integrates all system-relevant components, regulates the energy management of the high- and low-voltage system and coordinates brake energy recovery depending on the driving situation as well as the charging and safety management conditions.

“Moreover, it monitors all control and regulation processes with regard to functional safety,” the company said.

The latest update to the E-Drive Kit uses a new battery with a capacity of 35 kWh and high recuperation capability, specially developed for heavy-duty use. The additional customising for mine operations ensures the certified and homologated battery is safe and robust, Huber says.

“Crash tested, waterproof and housed in a fireproof case, the new battery has extensive sensor technology, including CO2 and humidity sensors,” it added. “As a control level, it supports an intelligent thermal runway warning and protection system to provide the best possible safety – especially underground.”

This system operates at both module and cell level, including partial automatic shutdown, to guarantee early warning in the event of irregularities and to prevent self-ignition and total failure in case of small short circuits, Huber explains. The powerful battery not only operates safely but also efficiently and guarantees a range of up to 150 km on-road and 80-100 km off-road.

The RUN-E Electric Cruiser has an output of 90 kW with a maximum torque of 1,410 Nm. Speeds of up to 130 km/h are possible on-road, and up to 35 km/h in off-road terrain with a 15% gradient. In its standard version, it can handle gradients up to 45%, and, with the “high-off-road” option, it achieves the theoretical value of 95%, Huber says. Additional packages, such as battery cooling or heating, and an air conditioning system, allow the electric car to be adapted to the individual conditions of each mine.