The transition to electric mobility is not exclusive to passenger cars and motorcycles: heavy machinery is also embracing electrification. Beyond leaving diesel behind, the real challenge is to find a viable alternative to internal combustion in terms of power and torque.
A few weeks ago an imposing Liebherr excavator started to operate in a copper mine in Bulgaria. What is striking is not only the machine itself (that too), because it is in fact the fifth electric excavator that the German manufacturer delivers to Assarel-Medet, but that the Bulgarian mining company is becoming one of the most advanced heavy electric fleet operators in the world.
The new electric excavator Liebherr. The model R 9350 E It is a large tonnage mining excavator, with 330 tons of operating weight, which integrates a 1,200 kW electric motor, approximately 1,600 HP. In nominal power it slightly exceeds 1,120 kW. its diesel counterpartbut the real difference in performance is greater: an electric motor delivers that torque constantly throughout the operating range, while the diesel only reaches its maximum power in a narrow band of revolutions. It will be powered by a high voltage cable whose voltage has not been specified, although this type of machinery is custom designed of the client’s needs.
According to the manufacturer, this engine offers advantages over combustion engines: it reduces vibrations and noise, prolongs the useful life of the components and lasts the entire useful life of the machine, reducing operating and maintenance costs. The excavator is equipped with a customized 17 cubic meter bucket, specifically designed to maximize productivity under the operating conditions of the Assarel mine in Pazardzhik.
Why is it important. To begin with, because it operates with zero greenhouse gas emissions and does so while maintaining productivity compared to the diesel version. In open pit mining this eliminates direct emissions at the extraction front and considerably reduces fuel logistics within the deposit, two factors that in operations of this scale have a significant economic and operational impact.
In fact, the R 9350 E offers superior power, performance and durability compared to the equivalent G6 diesel version and does so with lower maintenance and operating costs. Although the environmental advantage is evident, what truly tips the balance is the economic aspect: if the electric one performs the same or better and costs less to operate, the decision is made on its own.
Context. The delivery of this unit is not an isolated milestone, but is part of the long-standing alliance between Assarel-Medet, Alki-L and Liebherr-Export, which dates back to 1993. Within the Bulgarian mining company’s strategy to decarbonize its operations, this is the fifth electric excavator that it has incorporated into its fleet: it is no longer a prototype or a pilot test, but rather a consolidated commitment that indicates where the sector is moving.
On a global scale, the electrification of heavy mining machinery has been accelerating for years. Large manufacturers such as Volvo or Caterpillar have been exploring electrical solutions for heavy machinery for years and beyond regulatory green objectives such as the EU’s achieve climate neutrality by 2050there are the numbers: according to a report by IDTechEx As collected by Mining.com, a single 150-tonne mining truck can save more than five million euros in fuel over its lifetime if electrified. In those with larger tonnage, the savings are even greater.
How have they done it. The technical key is direct power supply from the electrical network. Unlike battery solutions common in light vehicles, an excavator of this caliber is connected by high-voltage cable to a dedicated substation within the mine. This eliminates the problem of autonomy and allows it to operate 24/7 without having to stop to recharge, something that no battery can offer on this scale.
Yes, but. The fine print of such an electric excavator has similarities with the old price debate between combustion and electric cars: the electrified versions have a higher acquisition cost, although Komatsu estimates Up to 50% savings on total cost of ownership of your electric excavator versus the equivalent diesel one. In machinery that can cost around five million euros in its diesel version, long-term accounts can tip the balance.
On the other hand, an excavator with a 1,200 kW engine is conditioned by the available electrical infrastructure: it needs a substation and high voltage wiring within the mine itself. Furthermore, this model works well in large-scale open pit operations, but cannot be extrapolated to underground deposits or smaller mines without an equivalent investment in infrastructure. The electrical transition in heavy mining is a reality, but its pace is determined by the geography of the deposit and the investment capacity of the operator.
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