Electric Dreams: Hitachi and ABB Partner to Develop Battery-Powered Electric Dump Truck in Zambia
In a bid to reduce emissions in the mining industry, Hitachi Construction Machinery and ABB have partnered to develop a battery-powered electric dump truck. The prototype, based on the Hitachi EH4000 AC-3 dump truck, is currently undergoing testing at the Kansanshi open-pit copper-gold mine in Zambia.
The testing will focus on the performance of the vehicle and its supporting infrastructure. Several Hitachi diesel-electric dump trucks are already in use at the mine, making it an ideal location for testing the electric-only version of the dump truck. By eliminating diesel emissions, this version of the vehicle is particularly beneficial in Zambia where most of the energy comes from renewable sources.
Preliminary testing of the prototype has been completed, and the vehicle is now being tested at the mine. The battery-powered dump truck prototype is being hopeful that it can operate continuously thanks to existing overhead charging infrastructure. By utilizing dynamic charging technology, the need to stop for charging is eliminated, and an onboard battery pack can be smaller while maximizing power output. This system is seen as a practical and economically viable solution to reducing emissions in the mining industry.
