Jakob Mining Vehicles finds production partner for electric pickup truck for mining

Information about the JMV TerraCharge is still scarce, but the background speaks for the hitherto largely unknown company Jakob Mining Vehicles: founder and managing director Benjamin Jakob, himself a car dealer in Fulda (recently adding VinFast to his range), already has 15 years of experience in converting off-road vehicles for mining: “The mining company K+S approached us in 2010 to try out a Jeep Wrangler, and that’s how it all started. We now also convert Dodge Ram pickups with the help of specialist converters, for example, with aerial work platforms or 4,500-litre tanks, or as group transporters, for Peruvian gold mines,” says Jakob in a company profile by the German publication Osthessen-News.

His company is one of only four dealers worldwide to have a military contract with the car manufacturer Stellantis. This enables the use of special model variants that are not available on the normal market, Benjamin Jakob continues. According to the company, it has been responsible for over 1,800 vehicle conversions in the past 15 years, not only for mining, but also for other segments such as disaster control and ambulances.

Jakob came up with the idea for his own electric pickup truck after being approached by mining operators at the 2019 Bauma construction machinery and mining trade fair, who asked him whether fully electric vehicles would be possible instead of the usual combustion engine conversions. “There was simply nothing on the market. After collaborations with several manufacturing companies fell through, we approached the EDAG Group in Fulda with a list of requirements for the vehicle.”

Now, the development of the electric mining pickup truck, called the JMV TerraCharge, has progressed to the point where it is ready to go into production. Although the dream of manufacturing the vehicle directly in Fulda has been dashed, JMV has now found the right contract manufacturer for the vehicle in T-Engineering, based in Trollhättan, Sweden. The JMV TerraCharge will be produced there with an annual output of 1,000 units. However, with T-Engineering, based in Trollhättan, Sweden, JMV has now found the right contract manufacturer for the vehicle, which will produce the JMV TerraCharge. The target annual production is 750 units.

T-Engineering will use part of the former Saab factory in Trollhättan for this purpose. Klas Lundgren, CEO of T-Engineering, said: “We’re excited about building electric vehicles in Trollhättan. This project means expanding our production capacity and leveraging our deep expertise in EV controls, calibration, and electrical systems to ensure the TerraCharge delivers on performance, reliability, and efficiency.”

Benjamin Jakob of Jakob Mining Vehicles added: “The TerraCharge is a bold step forward in our mission to decarbonise mining. By partnering with EDAG and T-Engineering, we are bringing together the best of German engineering and Swedish manufacturing to create a vehicle that meets the operational and environmental requirements of modern mining companies.”

JMV is not yet revealing any detailed specifications about the vehicle. However, it is clear that the TerraCharge will have four-wheel drive and that the system output will exceed 200 kW. The TerraCharge will be equipped with an LFP battery system with a capacity that is still unknown, the range is expected to be up to 250 km and the fast charging time to 80 per cent in less than an hour.

In the product information on its website, JMV also mentions a payload of 1,050 kg and ISO 19296 certification for mobile underground machinery. Furthermore, maintenance costs are expected to be low thanks to the modular design
and advanced telematics system.

Quelle: Press release via email, im-mining.com, osthessen-news.de (company background), linkedin.com

This article was first published by Florian Treiß for electrive’s German edition