On July 18th, EACON, a leading provider of comprehensive autonomous mining technology and haulage services in China, held a launch ceremony for the deployment of 100 hybrid autonomous mining trucks. These trucks will be deployed at TBEA's South Pit, China's highest-capacity coal mine, and mark the largest fleet of autonomous mining trucks within a single mine worldwide. 

In November 2020, EACON's autonomous driving project with the TBEA South Pit embarked on a journey of safe operations that has now surpassed 30 months. EACON collaborated closely with the OEM to design and build these hybrid vehicles, designing the EEA (Electrical and Electronic Architecture), the specifications for the range-extender, battery and motor systems, and the control strategies of trucks. Compared to conventional fuel vehicles with the same payload capacity, these hybrid vehicles can achieve fuel savings of over 20%.

During operation, the trucks’ auxiliary power unit (APU) fulfills the vehicle’s normal power demands, while the power batteries compensate for transient power requirements such as climbing or acceleration. The regenerative braking system enables energy recovery during the braking process. Through an integrated intelligent energy management control strategy and thermal management system, the mining trucks have achieved a remarkable maximum fuel saving of up to 30% in various operating conditions. These mining trucks have a robust payload capacity of 90 tonnes and a product design life exceeding 8 years. With powerful drivetrains, they can conquer slopes of up to 35% and achieve a maximum speed of 45 km/h.

EACON's autonomous driving solutions deployed successfully across five truck models from three OEMs, including electric, diesel, and hybrid trucks. As of June 30th, 2023, EACON has accumulated an impressive safety record in autonomous driving, covering a total distance of 1.93 million kilometres and completing over 460,000 trips. These achievements position EACON as a leader in autonomous driving operational mileage and experience in China. Presently, EACON has deployed over 70 autonomous driving trucks in two open-pit coal mines and one limestone quarry. Since 2023, EACON started a strategic overseas expansion, establishing an Australian subsidiary and aiming to expand globally, including markets in Australia, South America, and the Middle East.

 
Since its inception, the South Pit autonomy project has achieved remarkable progress:

1. Impressive Milestones: As of May 2023, the South Pit alone has witnessed a cumulative distance traveled of 1.09 million kilometres, making it the longest accumulated mileage project in China. We have seamlessly transitioned from single-fleet operations, to six autonomous mining truck fleets since June 2022. The increase in fleet size is still ongoing, and the increase enables stable increases in production capacity.
 
2. Diverse Operational Scenarios: We have successfully adapted to various mining environments. Our solutions have proven their adaptability and reliability in challenging conditions, enduring extreme heatwaves, freezing winters, and harsh wind and sand environments. Through these rigorous on-site operations in South Pit, our autonomous mining trucks have demonstrated their capability to operate effectively in diverse and demanding scenarios.
 
3. Vehicle Upgrades: As our client TBEA increases its rated production capacity from 35mt/y to 40mt/y, we are also enhancing our production capacity through vehicle upsizing to meet their growing demands. Our fleet is currently undergoing an upgrade from conventional fuel vehicles with a capacity of 70 tons to extended-range hybrid haul trucks with a capacity of 100 tonnes.
 
As we look to the future, EACON remains committed to innovation and efficiency in autonomous mining operations. By the end of July, we will introduce an additional 100 autonomous mining vehicles at the South Pit, marking a groundbreaking milestone of over 100 autonomous trucks deployed in a single mine.
 
Stay tuned as we continue to pioneer advancements in the autonomous mining industry, driving operational safety, productivity, and sustainability.