Caterpillar Successful Test Run of the First Large Electric Mining Truck

Caterpillar has completed development of its first battery-powered 793 prototype with the support of major mining customers who have participated in Caterpillar’s “early learning program.” Project participants including BHP Billiton, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Mining, Rio Tinto and Teck Resources of Canada have signed definitive electrification agreements to this end.

Denise Johnson, Caterpillar’s group president for resources industries, said:

“Caterpillar’s global team worked together to accelerate the development of this first Caterpillar battery-powered mining truck and help customers realize their commitment to sustainable development. This test run is an important milestone. We are confident that these trucks will be able to operate in the I am excited about the not-too-distant future of working on mines for customers around the world.”

Launched in 2021, the Early Learning Program focuses on expediting the development and testing of Caterpillar battery-powered trucks at the mine sites of participating customers. The Early Learning Program will support participating companies in meeting their respective commitments to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. The main goal of the project is to bring Caterpillar and customers closer together as the industry undergoes changes in the energy transition.

Customers participating in the early learning program witnessed the on-site trial operation of Caterpillar battery-powered prototype trucks in a 7-kilometer field. During the demonstration, Caterpillar monitored more than 1,100 data sources and collected 110,000 data points per second to validate simulation and engineering modeling capabilities. When fully loaded to rated capacity, the truck can reach a top speed of 60 km/h. A fully loaded truck travels 1 km on a 10% uphill slope at a speed of 12 km/h. The prototype truck also traveled 1 kilometer on a 10 percent downhill grade, capturing energy normally lost as heat and regenerating it into a battery. After completing the entire test run, the truck still had enough charge to complete multiple full round trips.