Leading provider of transport solutions, including trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, Scania has announced that its electric heavy tipper will operate in the LKAB mine in Malmberget, in northern Sweden, alongside an electric crane truck specially adapted for these mining operations.
This initiative gives the vehicle maker a chance to test and operate fully electric trucks in a demanding underground mine environment.
Both companies operate in industries undergoing significant shifts to reach a higher level of sustainability. They are now joining forces to operate electric vehicles in LKAB’s mines, a step towards the future and sustainable transport for this industry, a press release from the truckmaker stated.
The heavy tipper has a total weight, including a load of 49 tonne, and will transport residual products. The second truck is equipped with a crane, purpose-fit to transport drill steel to underground drill rigs. The electric truck with the crane will be charged at the depot, but mobile charging at the sites will also be possible to increase flexibility. The vehicles are expected to start operations at LKAB during 2022.
Peter Gustavsson, Project Manager, LKAB, said, “The electric trucks are part of an ambition to set a new standard for sustainable mining, where fossil-free is used all the way. We are shifting our fleet away from fossil diesel and as we are testing the capacity of battery-powered electric vehicles, decisions are taken with respect to the choice of trucks must not only contribute to higher productivity but, above all, also a more sustainable mine and a safer work environment.”
Fredrik Allard, Head of E-mobility, Scania, said, “We continue to work with customers that are willing to try innovative solutions together with us. For Scania it is very valuable to be able to test electric vehicles in the extreme environment in real customers operations in the mine. On top of that, the electric heavy tipper is the first of its kind in the industry and another really big step on the journey towards sustainable transport solutions across all applications.” “Scania’s entry into our transformation process is valuable because it gives us the opportunity to evaluate their battery-powered vehicles. Together we hope to develop and build fossil-free vehicles that are as productive or even more so than the ones we currently have”, Gustavsson added.