Electric Heavy Machinery

The new electric-drive Komatsu PC9000-12 is the largest hydraulic excavator in the brand’s storied history, capable of moving a massive, 80 tons of material, per pass – at a rate of more than 8,000 tons per hour of operation.

While the US is still stuck debating EVs, the rest of the world has already plugged in and charged ahead – and nowhere is that more obvious than Africa, where one country has banned ICE vehicles outright and another is rapidly electrifying mines that are digging up the future.

Autonomous construction tech startup Bedrock Robotics has just closed on a $270 million Series B funding round that brings total investment in the self-driving roller and excavator firm to more than $350 million. (!)

What happens when you deploy 100 massive, driverless, and fully electric heavy haul trucks at a working mine? After nearly a year of continuous operation, one mining company is already finding out. Here’s how their great experiment is going.

Diesel-electric locomotives have been barreling along America’s wide-open plains for generations, and the century-old combination of consistent, high-efficiency rpm diesel engines spinning up generators to power high-torque electric motors has proven tough to beat. Now, Caterpillar is putting that century-old design to work in its heaviest tracked dozer yet – and the efficiency gains are incredible.

XCMG celebrated the launch of its new, massive XC9260BEWL and XC9260BEWD lines by delivering one of each to Australian mining giant, Fortescue – part of a record-setting $400 million electric equipment order meant to help slash the company’s carbon emissions.

Canadian mining firm Eldorado Gold is taking a big step towards decarbonizing its operations with a fresh order for ten fully electric equipment assets from the experts at Sandvik set to be deployed later this year.

Thanks to a clever, fully electric swing system and “boom up” power assist features, the big PC365-11 hybrid excavator from Komatsu promises better performance and serious fuel savings compared to conventional diesel machines.

French heavy lift and logistics specialists Mammoet are living up to their name with the addition of a new, mammoth-sized, 60-ton hybrid crane from the electric equipment experts at XCMG.

Scania is calling its first-ever, fully-electric 8×4 heavy-duty mining tipper Sleipner after the Norse god Odin’s famously powerful eight-legged ride – and it’s being put to work at Sweden’s Malmberget iron ore mine.

Develon is kicking off the holidays with seven new or updated electric excavators, led by its seriously impressive flagship offering: the new 25‑ton DX250LCE-7 battery-electric crawler excavator developed by HD Hyundai.

The Cat 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks deliver all the performance of its diesel-powered siblings without the noise, vibrations, and harmful emissions – and now, they’re being put to the test at BHP’s iron ore mine in Australia.

Heavy equipment giants Caterpillar have signed an agreement with Vale that will see the company dramatically expand its fleet of autonomous haul trucks deployed at iron ore operations in the Carajás region of Brazil over the next three years.

The Port of Houston took a big step towards electrifying its operations this week, when the stevedores at Houston Terminal deployed the first new SANY electric reach stacker at the major seaside port – and it won’t be the last.

The mining equipment experts at Sandvik have been developing next-generation electric equipment options for years – largely on their own. Now, with a €500 million capital injection from the EIB, the company is ready to get serious about its next-generation machinery.

Multinational equipment brand SANY just launched a clever new 50-ton reach stacker that pairs gravity and an F1-style KERS system to generate electricity, improve operating efficiency, and reduce costs. The best part: they’re putting that smart tech to work by helping clean up (and shore up) the grid.

With a maximum lifting capacity over 100,000 lbs. and quiet, emissions-free operation, the Wiggins Lift Co. Yard eBull is one serious forklift – and this serious piece of heavy equipment it could be coming soon, to a port or terminal yard near you.

Global mining and construction equipment giant Liebherr recently rolled out its first-ever battery electric crawler excavator, setting a new standard in heavy earth-moving equipment capabilities with low noise levels and zero local emissions.

French equipment manufacturer Manitou has committed to a joint venture with Chinese forklift manufacturer Hangcha that will see the two companies develop and manufacture advanced lithium-ion batteries to support the electrification of the heavy material handler space.

The off-highway equipment experts at Perkins and McElroy have teamed up to develop a plug-and-play battery electric power unit designed to help equipment OEMs and upfitters to seamlessly transition from diesel to battery electric power.

Barrick Mining Corp. and Komatsu have formalized a $440 million deal that will see the Japanese construction giant begin delivering electric and electrified mining equipment assets to the company’s Reko Diq copper-gold project in Pakistan.