EACON's Autonomy Deployed on 120 Battery-Electric Trucks at a Single Mine
At the Zhundong Open-Pit Coal Mine in northwest China, 120 battery-electric mining trucks have been deployed with EACON’s autonomous haulage system, ORCASTRA®, and are now operating as part of one of the world’s largest battery-electric haulage fleets at a single mine site.
The deployment represents a major milestone in the integration of autonomy and battery-electric mining equipment, demonstrating how large-scale haulage operations can transition toward safer, more efficient, and lower-emission production.
The Zhundong mine, operated by CHN Energy, has been progressively developing autonomous haulage since 2020. Since the project began, the autonomous fleet has accumulated more than 7 million kilometres of safe operation, supporting the mine’s transition from conventional diesel haulage toward a new operational model combining battery-electric vehicles and autonomous haulage technology.
Autonomous Charging and Intelligent Fleet Coordination
Supporting a fleet of 120 battery-electric trucks requires a carefully designed autonomous charging system capable of maintaining continuous mine production. With EACON’s ORCASTRA® solution, trucks can independently and autonomously navigate to charging stations, accurately park in narrow spaces, and return to routine operation once charging is complete.
ORCASTRA® further ensures efficient power management by continuously monitoring a range of operational data including vehicle battery levels, predicted energy consumption, real-time charging station availability, and load unit status. Using this data, the system dynamically schedules charging times and coordinates priorities across the fleet, ensuring trucks recharge efficiently without disrupting haulage operations.
Together, these capabilities maintain consistent operating cycles and stable production across the mine.
From Pilot Projects to Large-Scale Deployment
The successful operation of a battery-electric autonomous fleet at this scale highlights the value of integrating autonomy with electrification. At Zhundong, this approach has delivered measurable improvements in safety, cost efficiency, and energy use. Autonomous operation reduces personnel exposure to high-risk environments, while intelligent control of vehicle behaviour lowers mechanical wear and maintenance needs. Combined with the lower cost of electricity and the benefits of regenerative braking, the result is a more efficient and lower-emission haulage system.
These environmental and economic benefits demonstrated at Zhundong reflect a broader trend toward the large-scale deployment of battery-electric autonomy. Across multiple projects, EACON’s autonomous solution has already been deployed in a wide range of operating environments.
At the Fushan Quarry, for example, 23 battery-electric mining trucks have operated safely for more than 1,000 days. As one of the earliest projects integrating battery-electric vehicles with autonomous technology, the deployment demonstrated the long-term reliability of the system. Additional fleets have been deployed at Shougang Group’s Shuichang and Dashihe iron mines, where 43 battery-electric trucks have collectively reduced fuel and labour costs by more than A$2 million in just over one year. Meanwhile, at the Julong Copper Mine, a fleet of 60 battery-electric trucks were deployed in a high-altitude mining environment, further demonstrating the adaptability of autonomous electric haulage systems in challenging operating conditions.
Accelerating the Future of Electric Autonomous Mining
To date, more than 800 battery-electric mining trucks equipped with EACON’s autonomous haulage system have been deployed across a wide range of commodities. With multiple clients securing repeat purchases of EACON's autonomous battery-electric solution, these deployments demonstrate how the integration of electrification and autonomy is rapidly reshaping the future of mining.
Looking ahead, EACON plans to continue expanding the application of battery-electric and autonomous technologies across new mining operations, supporting the development of greener, safer, and more intelligent mining systems.
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