Rio Tinto and China’s State Power Investment Corp. (SPIC) Qiyuan have launched a trial of battery swap electric haul truck technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.
The trial marks Rio Tinto’s first use of battery swap electric haul trucks in surface mining operations.
Rio Tinto and SPIC Qiyuan have installed a fleet of 91-tonne Tonly trucks, together with 13 batteries, a battery swapping station and supporting infrastructure.
Ben Woffenden, Rio Tinto’s General Manager for Global Equipment and Diesel Transition, said the project will help the company advance its decarbonisation goals.
“The launch of this trial with SPIC Qiyuan is an important milestone, harnessing China’s widely used and leading battery swap technology in a partnership that supports Rio Tinto’s drive to accelerate low-carbon innovation,” Woffenden said.
The trucks will be used in Oyu Tolgoi’s tailings dam construction and top soil transportation tasks.
Battery swapping technology frees a vehicle from using a fixed charging facility, minimising downtime and improving equipment efficiency.
The equipment will be tested through to the end of 2026 and will help Rio Tinto in identifying opportunities for wider adoption for this low emission technology across the company.
