Japanese equipment giant Komatsu has unveiled its new Power Agnostic 930E mining truck at the MinsExpo trade show in Las Vegas, calling it a future-proof solution that can run on diesel, hydrogen, or pure electric power.
Komatsu continues to advance other engine technologies with the release of its first commercial rigid frame dump truck with an “energy agnostic” platform for running diesel, hydrogen, or battery electric power.
That's because the platform is designed around a modular powertrain concept. The design not only gives the Komatsu assembly line an easy way to build diesel, BEV, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the same line, but also enables customers to upgrade from diesel to battery electric or hydrogen on the road, if and when. material barriers that prevent them from using a solution of electricity or hydrogen are overcome.
“This platform enables mining companies to start with conventional diesel engines and gradually switch to cleaner energy sources as needed, including the use of trolleys to assist diesel or as a future solution for charging truck batteries to reduce fuel consumption and emissions,” it reads. Komatsu printing materials. “Whether using battery technology, hydrogen fuel cell technology or a combination of energy systems, the Power Agnostic 930E provides the infrastructure and flexibility needed to meet sustainability goals.”
Potential customers got a peek at the concept truck, which they apparently were allowed to check out at Komatsu's Arizona proving ground ahead of MineExpo (I wasn't invited). The first pre-production prototype of the Power Agnostic 930E will arrive in Sweden in the coming months, where it will be used alongside other Komatsu power equipment at Boliden's Aitik copper mine, one of the largest such operations in continental Europe.
Electrek's Take
Converting gas and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles at scale is a fraught concept. There are too many to list here, in fact. But heavy machinery?
Everything from skid steers to loaders to heavy trucks is already designed to be powertrain agnostic, and manufacturers will often offer the same base vehicle as a Cummins, Detroit Diesel, or Volvo Pentapower, so there's an opening baked into those systems already. Komatsu takes that to the next level by adding energy storage modularity (fuel tanks, hydrogen cells, or battery packs) to the mix. And, if the project is successful, it could be the first of many.
SOURCE | PHOTOS: Komatsu; The World of Work.
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