China launches world’s largest fleet of autonomous electric mining trucks
One hundred fully autonomous, battery-electric mining trucks have officially entered service at the Huaneng Yimin open-pit coal mine in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. Developed and delivered by Chinese equipment manufacturer XCMG, the ZNK95 trucks represent the largest operational fleet of its kind worldwide. Moreover, the plan is to deploy 300 such vehicles in the next three years.
Equipped with technology from Huawei, the vehicles feature full self-driving capability, 5G connectivity, intelligent battery-swapping technology, and real-time safety monitoring. They are powered by photovoltaic-generated electricity and built for continuous operation in extreme cold, with performance validated at temperatures down to -40°C. The entire system has undergone technical evaluation and is recognised as a world-leading solution.
Operating across three shifts per day, the fleet achieves 20% higher efficiency than traditional diesel-powered, manned vehicles. Battery swaps take just six minutes, ensuring high vehicle uptime. The project is expected to save over 15,000 tonnes of diesel and reduce CO₂ emissions by around 48,000 tonnes annually.
According to Huaneng, the system was developed entirely in China, reducing dependence on imported core technologies. The “Huaneng Ruichi” fleet serves as a scalable model for upgrading traditional mining through intelligent, low-carbon solutions.
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