BHP & Rio Cat BEV truck trials in the Pilbara: haulage and power notes for engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
30 Second Briefing
Australia’s first Cat 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks have arrived at BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara, where BHP and Rio Tinto will jointly test Caterpillar’s BEV heavy haulage platform under production conditions. The two 220‑t class trucks, supplied under an industry‑first shared development agreement, will be evaluated on typical Pilbara duty cycles, ramp profiles and ambient temperatures. Data from Jimblebar will feed into Caterpillar’s commercial 793 BEV design, with direct implications for trolley, charging and pit power infrastructure planning across large open pits.
Technical Brief
- Outcomes are expected to influence future diesel displacement roadmaps across large Australian mining truck fleets.
Our Take
BHP and Rio Tinto are two of the most frequently appearing majors in our 180 Mining stories, so Pilbara iron ore decarbonisation moves like these BEV truck trials are likely to set informal benchmarks for other bulk operators considering fleet renewal.
Running Caterpillar’s Early Learner battery-electric trucks at Jimblebar gives BHP and Rio Tinto early operational data they can leverage in future procurement negotiations, especially as BHP is simultaneously pursuing large-scale growth options such as its proposed Anglo American combination in other coverage.
With iron ore a recurring keyword in our database and Pilbara assets central to both BHP and Rio Tinto, proving BEV haulage at this scale will be closely watched by regulators and investors as a test case for how quickly high-tonnage Australian operations can cut diesel exposure without compromising productivity.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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