CanmetMINING diesel and BEV field test series: MacLean Engineering diesel and battery electric cassette truck

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn light of Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and conditions in increasingly deeper mines, the trend in Canadian mines is to move away from conventional internal combustion engine vehicles and toward battery electric vehicles (BEVs). However, the limited driving range and the longer time required to recharge a battery than refuel a tank could reduce BEV availability and negatively affect production targets. Understanding the differences between these two technologies is critical when designing a new mine or transforming an existing fossil fuel-based fleet into an electric fleet. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to compare diesel cassette trucks (DCTs) and electric cassette trucks (ECTs) in terms of net fuel and energy consumption, respectively. MacLean Engineering heavy-duty DCTs and ECTs were field-tested at Vale’s North Mine surface ramp at 5 and 15 km/h and loaded with the same weight. The controlled 2.5-km test route comprised 10 sections of 0, 5, 10, and 20% uphill and downhill inclination grades. This paper compares DCT and ECT performance in terms of ability to maintain the target speed under different operational conditions and fuel and energy consumption. The energy captured through regenerative braking and charging information was also evaluated for the ECT. An energy to fuel ratio (kWh/L) was calculated for various operating conditions. Furthermore, the data were used in a hypothetical duty cycle to estimate DCT and ECT availability within a work shift.