Caterpillar successfully demonstrates the first
large electric battery mining truck
and invests in sustainable testing field

Publicity

Caterpillar Inc. announced in November 2022 a successful demonstration of its first large battery-powered Cat 793 mining truck as well as a significant investment to transform its Arizona field of testing and validation of future products. The company completed the development of its first 793 electric battery prototype with the support of major mining customers participating in Caterpillar’s Early Learner program. Participants in this program have established electrification agreements with the company and include BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Corporation, Rio Tinto and Teck Resources Limited. “Our global crew has teamed up to develop this battery truck at an accelerated pace to help our customers meet their sustainability commitments,” said Denise Johnson, group president, resource industries segment manager. “This demonstration is a significant milestone, and we are excited that these trucks will start working in customers’ mines around the world in the very near future.”

The Early Learner program was launched in 2021 and focuses on accelerating the development and validation of Caterpillar battery-powered elec-tric trucks in the mines of participating customers. This approach supports the commitments each Early Learner participant has made to reduce and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. One of the program’s main objectives is for Caterpillar to collaborate more closely with its customers as the industry undergoes transformational changes through the energy transition. Early Learner customers gathered to watch the live demonstration of Caterpillar’s prototype battery-powered electric truck on a seven-kilometer course. During the event, Caterpillar monitored more than 1.100 data channels, gathering 110.000 data points per second, to validate simulation and engineering modeling capabilities. Fully loaded at its rated capacity, the truck reached a maximum speed of 60 km/h. Loaded, it traveled a kilometer up a slope of 10% to 12 km/h. The equipment also ran a one-kilometer race on a 10% slope, capturing the energy that would normally be lost in the heat and regenerating that energy to the battery. Upon completing the journey, the truck maintained enough battery power to perform additional full cycles.

Mine of the Future

The prototype truck was built at Caterpillar’s Tucson Proving Ground, the proving ground located in Green Valley, Arizona. In support of the energy transition, Caterpillar is investing to transform this test field into a functional and sustainable “mine place of the future,” installing and utilizing a variety of renewable energy sources. The goal is to implement the same sustainable solutions that mining companies will use in their own operations to learn firsthand what is needed to manage an electrified mine and provide effective support to customers during the changes. “Transforming the Tucson Proving Ground enables Caterpillar to demonstrate our energy transition commitments and serve as a trusted consultant to customers as we navigate through the changes together. We know that an integrated on-site solution will be needed for miners to meet their carbon reduction goals, and we’re here to help them redefine how they’re going to mine in the next generations,” Johnson said. As part of the site’s transformation, the company will install the latest advances in sustainability technology, including green hydro-gen production, natural gas and 100% hydrogen-powered alternative engine power generation, fuel cell power generation and expanded energy storage systems. The site will also leverage a variety of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and hydrogen, capable of powering the facility and its products as they become electrified. Transforming the field of evidence will also serve as a learning platform to optimize the integration of charging and power management.