WAE & Fortescue partner for electric mining haul trucks

Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) and Fortescue Metals Group have announced a new partnership to develop a battery-electric mining haul truck.

The project is for the design and construction of a customised battery-electric powertrain that can regenerate power as the vehicle travels downhill.

WAE will build the battery at its facility in Oxfordshire, UK. It will then be shipped to Perth, Australia where it will be integrated into a 240-tonne prototype haul truck for performance testing at one of the Fortescue-operated mining facilities in Western Australia.

The project will also look at the development of a rapid charging unit which will harness renewable energy from Fortescue's Pilbara Energy Connect network.

Craig Wilson, Managing Director, Williams Advanced Engineering said: “We are delighted to be working with Fortescue on this pioneering project that will help enable their future decarbonisation strategy, contributing to a reduction of carbon emissions in the heavy-duty mining sector.

"High-performance battery systems are at the core of WAE. Both companies have a shared culture for innovation and rapid response and are committed to creating a sustainable future.’’

Fortescue Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Gaines said: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet and Fortescue is committed to tackling this challenge head-on through our industry-leading target to achieve net-zero operational emissions by 2040.

“This includes a 26% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from existing operations from 2020 levels by 2030. With around a quarter of these emissions attributed to our mobile haul fleet, this represents a significant opportunity to drive our pathway to being diesel-free. Fortescue’s history of developing and adopting innovation and technology has been key to the success of our business and in partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, we look forward to applying this technology-first strategy to our emissions reduction pathway.”

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