An autonomous electric dump truck began operations at a mine site in Inner Mongolia
When heavy machinery acquires its own intelligence and exhaust fumes give way to the quiet hum of electric motors, the mining industry enters a new era. China, long known for its ambitions in green technology and industrial digitalisation, has taken another confident step forward – this time in the harsh steppe of Inner Mongolia, where a driverless giant powered by electricity proved that the future of mining has already arrived. This is not just about replacing diesel with batteries; it is about rethinking the very logic of quarry operations, where efficiency, ecology and intellect merge into one.
On Thursday, a brand new autonomous mining dump truck began operations at the Nanlutian open-pit mine in Holingol, Inner Mongolia. The 100-tonne fully electric bi-directional vehicle was developed by Power Holdings, a subsidiary of the State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC). The truck moves confidently across the mining site, performing a full cycle of operations: automatic loading, autonomous navigation and precise unloading. It features a purpose-built fully electric drivetrain with zero emissions during transport, effectively tackling the high fuel consumption and severe pollution associated with conventional equipment.
An innovative "integrated charging and swapping" technology, combined with semi-solid-state batteries, has overcome the long charging time problem. The truck's most notable feature is its 4×4 all-wheel-drive system with bi-directional movement – unlike conventional trucks that require turning around, this vehicle can move both forwards and backwards without wasting time, significantly boosting productivity.
"Based on operational data, energy consumption per unit of output is 65 percent lower than that of traditional diesel dump trucks with the same load capacity. The continuous operating range of a single vehicle is at least six hours, and the equipment availability rate exceeds 85 percent, fully meeting the high-intensity, all-weather production requirements of mining sites," said Yu Haili, manager of the Nanlutian mine (Inner Mongolia (SDIC) Power Holdings Co., Ltd.).
This project is part of China's broader strategy to develop fully intelligent, electric and locally produced heavy machinery for the mining industry. The development took into account the harsh climatic conditions of the northern regions, where winter temperatures drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius. The successful launch of this truck paves the way for replicating the technology at other mines across the country and beyond, reinforcing China's position as a leader in green mining machinery.
As CCTV+ reports, the launch of this dump truck serves as further proof that China's industry is steadily moving towards carbon neutrality and digital transformation, with innovations in the heavy sector moving from the experimental stage to everyday reality.
