Epiroc African order for auto cable-electric drills adds to good year for electric & autonomous fleets
Epiroc says it has won a large order for autonomous and electric surface mining equipment in Africa, which will include the delivery of a fleet of Pit Viper 275 E blasthole drill rigs. The order is valued at SEK380 million ($40.7 million) and was booked in the March quarter 2026. The Pit Viper 275 E blasthole drill rigs are cable electric and will be operated fully autonomously, boosting safety and productivity while having zero exhaust emissions, the OEM says.
Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, said: “Epiroc is on the forefront of mining automation and electrification, and this major order is another significant step forward in our journey to support customers to operate in the safest, most productive and most climate-friendly manner possible.”
The Pit Viper 275 E rig is the cable-electric version of the blasthole drill rig that is well known in the mining industry. Its robust design and innovative features have made it a go-to solution for rotary blasthole drilling operations around the world, Epiroc says. Delivery of the equipment will begin shortly and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Epiroc also just released its 2025 Annual and Sustainability Report in which Hedblom summarised some of its autonomous and electric equipment milestones for the previous year. She stated: “Demand for Epiroc’s products and solutions remained strong in 2025. The strongest driver was demand from our mining customers, who account for 79% of total orders. Higher mineral prices, mainly for gold and copper, supported continued high activity levels in the mining sector.”
Hedbolm added: “Customer demand for productivity‑ and efficiency‑enhancing solutions remained robust, resulting in several large orders for autonomous and electric equipment, as well as multi‑year agreements for connectivity and digital platforms. Our exploration business grew especially strongly in the second half of the year, a positive indicator for long‑term mining activity and future equipment demand. Demand for service and aftermarket solutions also remained high throughout the year.”
The most significant event of the year was its largest order contract to date: a five‑year contract worth approximately SEK 2.2 billion with Fortescue in Australia. “We will deliver a fleet of around 50 fully autonomous and electric surface drill rigs, including cable‑electric Pit Viper 271 E rigs and battery‑electric SmartROC D65 BE rigs. These driverless machines will be operated from Fortescue’s Integrated Operations Centre in Perth, more than 1,500 kilometres away from the mines.”
She continues: “When fully deployed, the fleet will enhance safety and productivity while also reducing CO₂ emissions. The order is a clear signal that automation and electrification have moved from pilot projects to implementation at full industrial scale. MSEK 100 of this contract was booked as orders received in 2025, and it will increase from 2026 onwards.”
At Hancock Iron Ore’s Roy Hill mine in Australia, Epiroc has created the world’s largest fully autonomous, OEM agnostic mine. All 78 non Epiroc haul trucks have been converted from manual to autonomous operation using Epiroc’s Link OA system. “We also installed communications capabilities on the mine’s around 250 ancillary vehicles so they and the driverless haul trucks can interact safely with each other. The result is significant productivity gains and much more efficient utilisation of existing assets. By year‑end, more than 3,900 machines globally were running with Epiroc automation, up 13% year-on-year, including both Epiroc and non‑Epiroc equipment. To the best of my knowledge, this makes us the world’s largest enabler of autonomous mining machines.”
Hedblom continued: “At Boliden’s Rävliden mine in Sweden, we successfully implemented a five‑kilometre battery trolley line using our Minetruck MT42 SG Trolley solution. The development was done together with ABB and Boliden. This Minetruck is now in operation and the results are impressive: Productivity has increased by 23%, ramp speed by 50%, maintenance costs have decreased by 25%, and diesel consumption has dropped by 80%. Regenerative energy during downhill hauls further boosts efficiency.”
Another example from BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicle) in operation she cites is at the Assmang Black Rock mine in South Africa. “Our battery‑electric fleet has delivered 11% more tonnes per hour and reduced ventilation and energy costs by 18% compared to diesel equipment.”
In total, Hedblom says electrification revenues amounted to 3.8% (4.2) of Group revenues – 40 mines worldwide have ordered its BEVs, with most 2025 orders coming from existing customers, a strong vote of confidence.
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