Photo: Volvo Trucks
There’s an increasing number of EVs nowadays. Although we mostly see the electrification trend in personal vehicles, other opportunities, such as electrified trucks, are worth exploring. For instance, Volvo Trucks and Boliden have announced a collaboration that implements electric truck transport in underground environments.
Boliden is a Swedish mining group, and it’s becoming one of the first in the world to begin utilizing battery-electric trucks for heavy underground transport starting this year.
Volvo Trucks is renowned for its safe and capable trucks – the brand is exploring eco-friendly solutions as it began production of heavy-duty electric trucks in 2022. Their vehicles can be used in various industries – for example, Volvo delivered its first heavy-duty electric concrete mixer truck last month. Now, the Swedish company turned its attention to mining environments.
The mining industry is also exploring solutions to become more sustainable and experiencing rapid changes. Many companies are adopting more sustainable production methods to supply metals with lower climate footprints. Most CO2 emissions in mines come from exhaust gases from diesel vehicles, and the same goes for Boliden’s mines. In this case, the Swedish mining group has committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by the decade’s end. The partnership with Volvo Trucks will play a significant role in achieving this goal. But most important of all, the workers in the mine will benefit most from these changes, as they will breathe cleaner air.
There are several benefits of using electric trucks in underground mining. For example, they do not produce any exhaust emissions and provide quieter working conditions. However, the mining environment has very tough demands. Vehicles must be able to tackle steep slopes, carry heavy loads, and operate in humid air that takes its toll on the machines.
As part of the new partnership between Boliden and Volvo Trucks, two heavy electric Volvos will be supplied and used in Boliden’s Kankberg mine in northern Sweden. Specifically, a Volvo FH Electric will be used to transport rock bolts and other equipment into the mine starting in 2023. If everything goes well, another FH Electric will be put into operation and utilized to transport rock and ore.
The results of switching to EVs are worth it – if all the trucks in the mine were to be electric, CO2 emissions from the mine could drop by over 25%. Jessica Lindholm, project manager at Volvo Trucks, added, “Reduced carbon dioxide emissions for mining transport also means that we, indirectly, will reduce our own CO2 emissions, because the mining industry’s raw materials are used in our trucks.” Another advantage of using electric trucks is that less energy will be used, as the electric drivetrain can capture the electricity regenerated when engine braking on downhill slopes.
Volvo Trucks will also obtain valuable insights into how their electric trucks perform underground in harsh conditions. For instance, the brand will analyze how the driveline and batteries will be impacted.
Volvo Trucks is renowned for its safe and capable trucks – the brand is exploring eco-friendly solutions as it began production of heavy-duty electric trucks in 2022. Their vehicles can be used in various industries – for example, Volvo delivered its first heavy-duty electric concrete mixer truck last month. Now, the Swedish company turned its attention to mining environments.
The mining industry is also exploring solutions to become more sustainable and experiencing rapid changes. Many companies are adopting more sustainable production methods to supply metals with lower climate footprints. Most CO2 emissions in mines come from exhaust gases from diesel vehicles, and the same goes for Boliden’s mines. In this case, the Swedish mining group has committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by the decade’s end. The partnership with Volvo Trucks will play a significant role in achieving this goal. But most important of all, the workers in the mine will benefit most from these changes, as they will breathe cleaner air.
There are several benefits of using electric trucks in underground mining. For example, they do not produce any exhaust emissions and provide quieter working conditions. However, the mining environment has very tough demands. Vehicles must be able to tackle steep slopes, carry heavy loads, and operate in humid air that takes its toll on the machines.
As part of the new partnership between Boliden and Volvo Trucks, two heavy electric Volvos will be supplied and used in Boliden’s Kankberg mine in northern Sweden. Specifically, a Volvo FH Electric will be used to transport rock bolts and other equipment into the mine starting in 2023. If everything goes well, another FH Electric will be put into operation and utilized to transport rock and ore.
The results of switching to EVs are worth it – if all the trucks in the mine were to be electric, CO2 emissions from the mine could drop by over 25%. Jessica Lindholm, project manager at Volvo Trucks, added, “Reduced carbon dioxide emissions for mining transport also means that we, indirectly, will reduce our own CO2 emissions, because the mining industry’s raw materials are used in our trucks.” Another advantage of using electric trucks is that less energy will be used, as the electric drivetrain can capture the electricity regenerated when engine braking on downhill slopes.
Volvo Trucks will also obtain valuable insights into how their electric trucks perform underground in harsh conditions. For instance, the brand will analyze how the driveline and batteries will be impacted.
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