The initiative, which is Rio Tinto’s first use of this technology in surface mining, aims to develop cost-effective, low-emission haulage solutions by minimizing downtime with rapid battery exchanges.
Mining behemoth Rio Tinto and its Chinese partner, State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) Qiyuan, have launched a significant trial of battery swap electric haul truck technology at the massive Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia. This groundbreaking project is a direct assault on one of the mining industry's most stubborn sources of emissions: the massive haulage fleet.
The trial represents Rio Tinto’s inaugural deployment of battery swap electric haul trucks in a surface mining environment. It is viewed as a crucial step towards developing the operational knowledge and proving the cost-effectiveness needed to significantly reduce the Scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint associated with its global haulage operations.
Over the past year, the partnership has worked diligently to install the necessary infrastructure for the trial. This includes a fleet of eight 91-tonne Tonly trucks, a total of 13 high-capacity batteries, a dedicated battery swapping station, a static charger, and all supporting infrastructure.
The Tonly trucks are immediately being put to work by Oyu Tolgoi for essential tasks such as tailings dam construction and top soil transportation.
The core advantage of the battery swapping technology is its efficiency. Instead of lengthy charging sessions at a fixed point, the battery of an electric mining truck can be replaced at the dedicated swap station in less than seven minutes. This minimizes the critical metric of equipment downtime, thereby maintaining high operational efficiency—a non-negotiable requirement in large-scale mining.
Ben Woffenden, Rio Tinto General Manager Global Equipment and Diesel Transition, emphasized the strategic importance of the collaboration. “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,” he stated. He added that the rapid deployment highlights the necessity of partnerships in advancing alternatives to traditional, high-emission haulage.
Echoing this sentiment, Guo Peng, General Manager of Qiyuan Green Power, expressed commitment to the cause. "SPIC Qiyuan is committed to advancing green energy technology innovation, and this partnership showcases the significant potential of our proven battery-swap solutions in helping global mining customers reduce emissions and enhance operational efficiency," he said.
The equipment is scheduled to be tested comprehensively through to the end of 2026. The results will inform Rio Tinto’s strategy for the wider adoption of this low-emission technology across its global operations. The company's fleet currently includes approximately 100 small or medium class (100-200t payload) haul trucks, which are potential candidates for adopting current-generation battery swap technology, demonstrating the substantial scaling potential of the initiative.
