Following trials of a prototype battery-electric, ultra-class rigid-frame dump truck that started in June 2024, copper major First Quantum Minerals (FQM) is targeting having the first commercial model in action by March 2028 at its Kansanshi copper and gold mine, near Solwezi in Zambia.

The 221 t-class Hitachi EH 4000 AC3 battery-electric trucks employ a battery electric drivetrain and a trolley assist system, the latter serving as the means to charge the battery on specific sections of haul roads and especially up steep, power-intensive inclines when the trucks would typically be fully laden.

The trolley assist system comprises land-based overhead power lines and a pantograph system on the trucks which transfer high-voltage mine’s power to the truck’s battery and drivetrain. This system enables trucks to move 100% faster than without the system, increasing the truck’s capable speed from 11 km/h, to 22 km/h when using the trolley assist system.

Currently, FQM has 10 km of trolley lines at Kansanshi and 5 km at Sentinel, with plans to add another 10 km of lines over the next five years.

Battery recharging also takes place on the mine’s declines owing to the Hitachi EH 4000 AC3 truck’s regenerative braking feature, which uses gravitational kinetic energy of trucks travelling downhill to generate power, which is fed back into the battery.

The Hitachi EH 4000 AC3 battery-electric truck was jointly developed with electrification and automation company ABB. Based on Hitachi Construction Machinery’s extensive experience with dump trucks equipped with trolley dynamic charging systems, this truck is able to continuously operate in mine sites by directly charging from the overhead lines and through the regenerative braking system without needing to stop and charge at any point in time.

Speaking at the official event marking the adoption of the battery-electric trolley assist truck on April 15, FQM CEO Tristan Pascall highlighted the collaborative effort, saying FQM and Zambia were at the forefront of renewable energy and low-emissions technology.

“Today is about what can be achieved when a mining company, a technology partner and government work together to move the industry forward.

Innovation is not simple, but it is significant. The battery electric truck we are commissioning today has been years in the making, involving extensive research, development and close cooperation,” he said.

Successful Trials

The 2024-initiated technological feasibility trials aimed to verify the basic performance of operations required of a battery-powered dump truck – such as travelling, turning and stopping – under actual operating loads, as well as to verify battery charging and discharging cycles.

The battery-electric Hitachi EH 4000 AC3 trial saw a total haul road distance of over 4 000 km being covered over the span of the evaluation, through which more than 30 000 t of material were handled. Hitachi says the truck performed in line with its development concept.

“Crucially, obtaining real-world operating data from the mine site provides the strongest validation for its commercialisation in financial year 2027,” says Hitachi in a statement.

Going forward, FQM’s Kansanshi truck fleet is expected to expand from the current 47 ultra-class trucks, to more than 80 trolley-enabled haul trucks.

The success in the battery-electric truck programme stems from the infrastructure, scale and will of FQM to drive change, says Hitachi mining business unit VP Ray Kitic.

“Zambia’s high proportion of hydroelectric power, up to 85%, makes it an ideal location to demonstrate true decarbonisation across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions,” he says, adding that Hitachi’s guiding principles for the project include the solution needing to be safe, practical, durable and commercially viable.