BATTERY AND ELECTRIC MACHINES
Fortescue on scalable, zero-emission battery solutions
As this article attests to, Fortescue is leading the pack when it comes to electrifying its surface mining operations.
It can call on its own in-house technology company to help achieve this, with Fortescue Zero existing to build the technology needed to eliminate fossil fuel from the planet.
The company calls itself a market leader in leveraging rapid prototyping for accelerated development timelines to production equipment.
LFP cells, it will deliver high energy capacity with a three-year lifespan, catering to applications of 500 kWh and above,” the spokesperson said.“ This makes the technology ideal for surface mining vehicles, including haul trucks, graders and dozers, while also supporting smaller equipment like excavators and loaders.”
The modular design guarantees flexibility across industries, integrating high-voltage power distribution, thermal management, power system control elements and charging readiness, according to the company.
The truck and charger relationship is critical to operational mine planning, the predictive analytics, real-time diagnostics and AI-driven fleet optimisation, according to the company. By harnessing insights from Fortescue’ s advanced Battery Intelligence software, Elysia, Fortescue can maximise cell efficiency, enhance safety and extend battery life by up to 30 %, it added.
The spokesperson concluded:“ Fortescue Zero’ s technology has been tailored for heavy industry and designed for use in rugged, high-performance environments. It delivers a scalable, zero-emission battery solution that rivals diesel and hybrid alternatives while ensuring reliability, uptime and productivity on par with current fleets.”
The T 264 Battery Electric truck displayed on the Liebherr booth at bauma 2025 represented the culmination of years of hard work within the Liebherr – Fortescue partnership and also showcases the value of working hand-in-hand with industry partners, Liebherr says
“ Uniquely positioned to understand the ecosystem of its end user, we design, develop and deliver products by leveraging motorsport technology which demands performance and power on the edge of possibility, in highly compact and efficient systems,” a spokesperson told IM.“ This applies to all technology developed across power, charging and battery intelligence systems.”
One of the early prototypes developed for Fortescue Metals was the Roadrunner 240-t payload truck. Designed and developed in house, it has been crucial in testing charging rates and ruggedised components including power converters in never before made power to weight ratios, the spokesperson explained.
The 1.4 MWh system on board this vehicle paved the way for the 3.2 MWh power system planned for 360 trucks by 2030 – most of which are set to utilise the Liebherr T 264 platform.“ Built with next-generation
28 spokesperson said. Initially a 3 MW charger was deployed for learning on charge rates and times, against battery degradation and system performance metrics.
“ Maximising efficiency is at the heart of Fortescue Metals’ business model and the technology must deliver to uptimes of over 90 % and highly ruggedised environments where unplanned servicing and maintenance is difficult,” the spokesperson said.“ A 6 MW DC charger capable of full charge in 30 minutes will be used on the beta system T 264 trucks and production vehicles shortly thereafter.
“ Flexibility and autonomy sit within all technology architectures as standard allowing the charger to support other equipment on the mine such as dozers and graders.”
Edge connectivity and core capability is delivered through Fortescue’ s proprietary Battery Management System( BMS), which is able to enhance performance with
Liebherr’ s decarbonisation commitment on show
The same T 264 platform, plus the R 9400 E 350 t electric excavator, were just some of the highlights on the Liebherr bauma 2025 stand in Munich, last month.
The T 264 Battery Electric truck displayed on the Liebherr booth represented the culmination of years of hard work within the Liebherr – Fortescue partnership and also showcases the value of working hand-inhand with industry partners, Liebherr says. The battery-electric T 264 is a 240 t mining truck powered by a 3.2 MWh battery, which was developed by Fortescue Zero.
Liebherr also showcased the Liebherr Power Rail, a class-agnostic dynamic charging concept based on Liebherr’ s proven trolley bar technology, at the event. Besides being equipped with cuttingedge zero emission technology, the T 264 battery-electric truck on display at bauma was outfitted with the Autonomous Haulage Solution( AHS) – another development courtesy of the Liebherr – Fortescue partnership. The AHS includes an Energy Management System that coordinates the static recharge assignments for batteryelectric trucks and ensures the charger is fully utilised without causing queueing on site.
The T 264 Battery Electric truck enters validation in 2025, with Liebherr set to deliver 360 units of these trucks to Fortescue’ s Australian operations before the end of 2030.
As for the full autonomous batteryelectric solution, the validation process will begin in 2026.
The R 9400 E 350 t electric excavator, meanwhile, combines Liebherr’ s more than four decades of expertise in electric excavator development and manufacturing with the latest innovations from the mining product segment. The R 9400 E on the booth was equipped with Liebherr’ s cable reel solution, which offers up to 300 m of autonomous cable management to enhance manoeuvrability for increased operational flexibility.
International Mining | MAY 2025