In an industry-first collaboration, mining rivals BHP and Rio Tinto have partnered with machinery giant Caterpillar to launch on-site trials of two fully battery-electric haul trucks in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The two Cat 793 XE Early Learner vehicles are currently undergoing rigorous testing at BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore mine. Following three months of initial trials, the project is already delivering critical data regarding technical readiness, infrastructure needs, and commercial viability in one of the world’s most unforgiving operating environments.
The heavy-duty trucks arrived in Western Australia late 2025 after initial safety validation at Caterpillar’s proving ground in the United States.
Early phase testing has already clocked up more than 100 hours of operation and over 200 test laps, validating essential assumptions about safety, maintenance, and battery technology performance.
The next phase of the trial will evaluate a highly anticipated dynamic charging system, allowing the massive trucks to charge while in motion to maximise operational efficiency.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook, who recently joined mining executives to view the machinery in action, threw his full support behind the initiative.
“I want Western Australia’s economy to remain the strongest in the nation, which is why my government is fully behind BHP and Rio Tinto’s efforts to decarbonise and help make WA a renewable energy powerhouse,” Cook said.
Minister of Energy and Decarbonisation Amber-Jade Sanderson hailed the mining companies for the project.
“Heavy industry needs to embrace the challenge of lowering their emissions as we work towards decarbonising the Pilbara,” she said.
“It’s great to see mining companies trialling battery-electric haul trucks in the Pilbara – this is an important step towards net-zero.”
BHP President Australia Geraldine Slattery emphasised that the trial is pivotal to the company’s target of reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030.
“By working together, we can accelerate progress in the technologies enabling electrification,” Slattery said.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore CEO Matthew Holcz echoed the sentiment, noting that the unique scale and intensity of the Pilbara make it the ultimate testing ground.
“Decarbonising haulage across the Pilbara is a complex challenge that is going to require collaboration across industry to solve,” he said.
