Realizing a low cost, maximum load capacity and high operation rate by the dynamic charging system with trolley

Tokyo, 23 June 2021 —Hitachi Construction Machinery (TSE: 6305; “Hitachi Construction Machinery”) and ABB today announce that they have signed a collaboration agreement to develop an engineless, full battery rigid frame dump truck (hereinafter, “full battery dump truck”) with a customized on-board energy storage system, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and offering a solution towards a net zero emission pathway.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Group’s parts remanufacturing business involves collecting, disassembling and repairing customers’ used genuine parts, such as hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pumps and travel device, and then providing for reuse as remanufactured parts with the same function warranty as new parts. Parts remanufacturing business in the Southeast Asian region has been remanufacturing used parts and supplying to Indonesia, mainly for mining products, but transportation costs and turnaround were a problem due to the need to route the supply of remanufactured parts for medium to large-sized hydraulic excavator to countries and regions other than Indonesia via Japan.

Utilizing ABB’s innovative battery technology, Hitachi Construction Machinery trucks can be transformed from diesel to full electric battery operation. The dump trucks will operate by utilizing a new onboard electrification system – drawing its energy requirements from an energy supply system with dynamic charging, allowing simultaneous charging of the on-board energy storage system while providing energy to power the truck. The system will provide extended battery longevity by reducing the load and discharge during each haul cycle, offering a cost efficient industry solution that allows continuous operation so as to maintain the high productivity and performance the industry has come to expect from Hitachi Construction Machinery products.

Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding in March 2021 to build a partnership aimed at realizing net zero emissions and this joint development is the first project where the two companies will apply their complementary skills to achieve this goal. ABB will develop the on-board energy storage systems by customizing an existing product and Hitachi Construction Machinery will lead the overall design and development of the dynamic charging battery dump truck utilizing the technology of its existing rigid dump truck with trolley as its base, effectively allowing the accelerated development of this solution.

Hitachi Construction Machinery and ABB understand there is a growing interest in the electrification of mining operations and machinery, as environmental awareness grows within the industry and community. Technology continues to be further developed in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while taking into consideration the demands of mining operations.

By utilizing Hitachi Construction Machinery’s dynamic charging battery dump truck systems and ABB’s battery technology, the joint collaboration will not only help tackle the challenge of solving the issues involved in dump truck electrification, but also provide a real world climate change solution.