NHL TR60 diesel-to-battery conversions: retrofit economics for mine fleets
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
NHL has completed and delivered the first three commercial “oil-to-electric” conversions of its 55 t class TR60 mining dump trucks at its Baotou plant in Inner Mongolia, shifting the model from diesel to battery-electric drive. The TR60 retrofit package replaces the diesel powertrain with a high-capacity traction battery system and electric drive components while retaining the original chassis and payload class. For mine operators, the upgrade route offers a lower-capex path to electrification, reduced diesel logistics, and compatibility with existing TR60 fleets and maintenance regimes.
Technical Brief
- Retrofit work is being executed at NHL’s Baotou manufacturing base in Inner Mongolia, China.
- Three upgraded TR60 units have already rolled off the Baotou production line and been delivered.
- NHL describes the TR60 battery conversion as moving from pilot verification into full commercial deployment.
- Conversion is framed as a repeatable “oil-to-electric” package, implying standardised retrofit scope for additional TR60s.
- Keeping the original chassis allows reuse of existing structural approvals and mine haul road compatibility.
- Deliveries to end customers indicate mine‑site acceptance of the retrofit solution beyond internal or demo fleets.
- For similar rigid‑frame fleets, such commercialised retrofits could defer full replacement cycles while decarbonising haulage.
Our Take
NHL also appears in our coverage of EACON Mining Technology’s next‑generation autonomous haulage roll‑out in China, suggesting its 55 t‑class TR60 platform is being positioned as both an electrification and autonomy host vehicle in the domestic market.
Within the 755 Mining stories and 1481 tag‑matched pieces, very few Chinese OEMs feature as prominently as Inner Mongolia North Hauler, indicating that Baotou‑based NHL is emerging as one of the key local alternatives to Western haul truck suppliers for low‑emission fleets.
Battery conversion of mid‑size 55 t trucks in Inner Mongolia is likely to be a lower‑risk proving ground for NHL before any move into higher‑capacity classes, giving Chinese mines a way to trial decarbonised haulage without committing to entirely new fleets.
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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