BATTERY AND ELECTRIC
That is where we start to look at fast charging as the correct strategy for
those vehicles.”
MacLean’s Lister is aware the company’s marketing message may also
have to be adapted as the company looks beyond Canada for its next crop of
BEV sales.
“We’re looking to market outside of Canada – where taking a known
carcinogen away is the key driver despite the initial upfront capital cost,” he
said. “In markets that are more price sensitive, how do you make that switch?”
Being able to provide data on more than 40,000 operating hours of BEV
equipment will help.
This enables the company to provide an indicative total cost of operations
calculation that miners can factor in alongside the upfront capex of the
machine in question.
Some of this data is already starting to be shared with companies working
on economic studies for new underground mines or expansions of existing
operations, the company said, with Anthony Griffiths, Product Manager –
Fleet Electrification for MacLean, saying, in December, he was asked for BEV
data for three economic studies.
He explained: “That is the first time since I have been in this role that the
indication was diesel is not accepted.”
Another company keen to engage miners with its BEV databank is Epiroc.
The Sweden-based OEM commenced work on a battery-electric Scooptram
ST7 back in 2013 and, since then, has accumulated more than 100,000 hours
of operation under its zero-emission program.
Franck Boudreault, Global Product Manager – Electrification at Epiroc, told
IM that the company has experienced a range of motivations and required
benefits for buying and using its BEVs depending on the size of company,
type of operation, and location of customer.
“Whereas one customer or region may focus on DPM reductions or health,
another may find the added productivity at high altitude more attractive, or a
third one may see heat reduction benefits,” he said.
“The beauty with BEVs is that we can achieve all these benefits within the
same offering.”
This point was also picked up by Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik
Mining and Rock Technology’s Load and Haul division.
“The requirements to tailor marketing are lower with BEVs as the
technology already brings added value that is of common importance in most
market areas,” he told IM.
Boudreault said the initial upfront capital expense issue that is so often
discussed with these new vehicles has been somewhat alleviated with the
company’s Batteries as Service offering. This sees miners purchase the
battery operation service for the BEVs, as opposed to buying or leasing the
batteries.
“The initial cost of an electric vehicle, excluding the batteries, is around
20% more than its diesel counterpart,” Boudreault says. “With the batteries
included in the upfront cost, the price tag quickly jumps to two to two-and-a-
half times the price of a comparable diesel machine, which very few
customers are willing to pay.”
This shifts the battery cost to an operating expense, as opposed to a
predominantly capital expense, plus alleviates any potential issues that may
arise with the batteries as Epiroc also takes on the task of maintenance.
Boudreault added: “This does not only make sense from a cost distribution
standpoint; it also makes sense when it comes to having the right battery for
the right application.”
Eriksson said Sandvik was open to a similar solution in the future where
customers pay for the kilowatt hours they use instead of buying the battery
pack outright.
Such services are likely to gain in importance as battery technology
continues to evolve and larger, more powerful units are developed that can
increase the range and productivity benefits associated with using battery-
powered machines.
MacLean pro oduction
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mining vehic cles
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L Leadin g the
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Visit: mac leaneng gineering.com/ev
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