After approximately 5,000 km driven, LKAB says the first phase of testing with the fully electric Scania Heavy Tipper truck above ground at the Malmberget iron ore operation is now coming to an end.
The battery-powered trucks are part of the ambition to electrify the vehicle fleet throughout our value chain, from mine to finished product. The Heavy Tipper came to Malmberget to be tested and developed on-site in close collaboration with Scania, in the unique environments that the operations entail.
Stig Hoffner, who has been test driving the truck since its inception in December 2022, says: “Overall, it has functioned well mechanically and operationally. Above all, it’s a completely different driver environment compared to diesel trucks – it’s quiet and calm. Also, it requires less daily maintenance.”
One of the key issues in testing electric vehicles is that they should not only be better for the climate and work environment, but also be able to maintain the same productivity as their diesel-powered counterparts. To date, over 300,000 t of material have been transported with the Heavy Tipper; well approved over the test period. And every load, every shift, has been logged to enable a thorough evaluation.
“In terms of range, I’ve driven about 15-20 loads per shift, and I charge it once a day, during my lunch break. That’s more than enough,” says Stig Hoffner.
“We are very pleased with how it has gone, even in our cold winter climate,” says Peter Gustavsson, Project Manager for the electrification of the Malmberget mine.
The tests have also led to a number of lessons learned, both for LKAB and the supplier: “One thing we encountered was problems with cold oil in the hydraulics of the tailgate, which occurred because we don’t get the excess heat that a diesel engine provides. No one had predicted that problem, but it was solved with an auxiliary heater on the hydraulic tank. Another thing we learned was that you have to start exercising the truck’s brakes because they rarely need to be used, as you regenerate energy back to the battery instead of using the brake.”
In total, approximately 30,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions have been saved through these tests alone.
“The next step is to evaluate the same truck underground as well. In the fall, a new, larger Heavy Tipper with four axles, approximately 40 tons of load capacity, twice the battery pack, and higher charging speed will arrive. Around the same time, two new electric tractor-trailers that can load 70-85 tons will also begin to be evaluated in the Malmberget mine,” says Gustavsson.
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