Exxaro’s Grootegeluk to be test bed for HCM’s new hybrid mining truck

As mining operations become increasingly complex and the need to support net-zero emissions
grows more urgent, Hitachi Construction Machinery (soon to be LANDCROS as of April 2027) views the decarbonisation of dump trucks as a critical issue and says it will contribute to sustainable mining operations through digital and innovation.

It includes the development of full battery dump trucks with the aim of commercialisation in FY2027 (by April 2028), and the development of hybrid dump trucks with the aim of achieving practical application in FY2030 (by April 2031). Following successful validation, the company plans to expand the global deployment of hybrid dump trucks. 

Broadly the plan for the hybrid truck is to take an existing EH4000AC-3 truck, install battery and charge/discharge control equipment plus modify the AC drive system to hybrid specifications then test it at a minesite in South Africa. By utilising energy more efficiently during driving and braking, the system reduces fuel consumption and COâ‚‚ emissions. The AC drive motors are powered by diesel-generated electricity but battery-stored energy is then recovered through regenerative braking.

As part of the implementation of the demonstration test, Hitachi Construction Machinery will provide training on the repair and maintenance of hybrid dump trucks to service personnel in South Africa and other Southern Hemisphere countries as well as locally transfer knowledge and conduct human resource development.

HCM believes that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions could be reduced by 10% of more – for a truck operating for 20 hours a day, 350 days a year, diesel consumption is predicted to fall from 1.2 million litres per year with 3,000 t of CO2 emissions; to about 1 million litres per year and 2,500 t of CO2 emissions with the hybrid trucks. In addition, the use of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) may theoretically reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90% using the system.

Design of the hybrid truck began in November 2025 at Hitachinaka-Rinko Works in Japan with the aim to start the technological feasibility trial at a mining site in South Africa by October 2027 and then achieve practical application in 2030. South African mining group Exxaro Resources confirmed to IM that its Grootegeluk coal operation in Limpopo Province will be the location for the trial.

In a similar way to First Quantum Minerals and the EH4000 Battery trial at Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia, Exxaro is a long term partner of HCM in terms of its truck fleet, so the two companies have a lot of experience of working together. Grootegeluk also represents a good testing ground with a very large mining area – 6 km by 3 km; and Exxaro as a company is very focused on emissions reduction. The mine is making significant sustainability advances – including the 68 MW Lephalale Solar Plant commissioned in December 2025, Exxaro’s first self-generation milestone.

Looking in more detail, Grootegeluk is a huge mine, with its coal account for 20-25% of South Africa’s national electricity generation; its core business is delivery of thermal cost domestically – it delivered 21.4 Mt of coal in FY2025 via conveyor to Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi Power Stations, with the capacity to deliver over 25.1 Mt/y. The current truck fleet consist of 88 diesel-electric units, including older Hitachi (Euclid) EH3500 and EH4500 units plus newer Hitachi EH4000AC-3 as well as some Komatsu 730E models.

The mine has also recently invested in newer, more efficient diesel-electric trucks – namely seven Komatsu 830E-5 trucks, three more Hitachi EH4000AC-3 diesel-electric mining trucks and seven Chinese XCMG XDE260 trucks taking the fleet to over 100 units.

The main haulage ramps still have trolley lines that are in use but the potential for additional diesel wins for trucks off trolley is still very significant; and the existing EH4000AC-3 fleet has potential for future conversion should the project prove successful, as it is the base truck for the initial hybrid project.

The overall hybrid project is being advanced both by Hitachi Construction Machinery and Hitachi Industrial Products – the AC Drive manufacturer – in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). The testing at Grootegeluk will involve verification of the basic performance of the hybrid dump truck in the mining site operating environment, reduction in fuel consumption due to charging and discharging, and battery durability as well as training in the repair and maintenance of hybrid dump trucks.

UNIDO states: “In mining decarbonisation, it is not only important to develop new zero-emission vehicles but also to improve existing equipment already in operation. In the mining industry, machinery and vehicles typically have long service lives, making it economically and practically difficult to replace them all within a short period. Against this background, Hitachi Construction Machinery and Hitachi Industrial Products, Ltd with support from UNIDO, is conducting a demonstration project of hybrid dump trucks in South Africa.”

It adds: “Full electrification of mining dump trucks is an important long-term option. However, many existing mining operations face several challenges in transitioning to full electrification immediately.  Introducing large battery-electric dump trucks requires a stable power supply and large-scale charging infrastructure. In addition, factors such as mine road design, travel distances, loading conditions, operating hours, charging time, and battery weight, cost, and durability may affect productivity.  Hybrid dump trucks, therefore, offer a practical alternative. Rather than waiting for the infrastructure required for full electrification, they provide a solution that reduces fuel consumption and COâ‚‚ emissions without compromising current mining productivity. “

A member of the project team at Hitachi Construction Machinery commented on the initiative:  “The retrofit of hybrid dump trucks improves environmental performance while utilising existing equipment, making it an easy-to-adopt solution for mines facing constraints in capital investment and infrastructure development.”

Tetsuya Hamabe, Vice President and Executive Officer of Hitachi Construction Machinery, further explains the role of hybrid technology in mining decarbonisation: “Decarbonisation is a mission that the mining industry must accomplish. In this context, we see hybrid technology as a bridge solution toward electrification. Just as the automotive industry has recently been reassessing hybrid technologies, hybrid dump trucks will play an important role as a means of phased decarbonisation.” 

Hitachi Construction Machinery is also aiming to become the first OEM to commercialise hybrid dump trucks – the other major plays in the market, all at different points of advancement are not truck OEM led, namely Cummins First Mode, FLANDERS working with Thiess, U&M and Rolls Royce Power Solutions.

It also points out that in mining operations worldwide, there is no single solution for decarbonisation. “Full electrification, dynamic charging systems with trolley, renewable energy, and hybrid technologies must be combined depending on regional and site-specific conditions.” 

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