German-Swiss multinational equipment manufacturer Liebherr and Australia-headquartered metal mining company Fortescue have announced a deal for the development and supply of zero-emission technologies that, once they enter series production, will become available for mining companies worldwide.

The partnership features a total of 475 zero-emission Liebherr machines that include 55 electric excavators, 60 battery-powered dozers, and approximately 360 autonomous T 264 trucks that will commence on-site validation at the end of 2025. 

The T 264 trucks are to be equipped with a Fortescue Zero battery power system and the jointly developed Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS), both of which were built to be scalable so that they can be retrofitted onto existing Liebherr haul trucks. The AHS includes an energy management system that coordinates the trucks’ static recharge assignments and ensures that the charger is fully utilized without causing queuing on-site.

The Fortescue Zero battery power system will also be integrated into an electric version of Liebherr’s flagship mining dozer, the PR 776. As part of the deal, Liebherr and Fortescue will deploy a complete autonomous battery-electric haulage solution for large-scale mining operations.

Source: Liebherr