Driven by the nation’s “dual carbon” strategy, the wave of electrification in the construction machinery sector is accelerating. As a key sub‑segment of the industry, the electrification transition of commercial vehicles such as heavy‑duty trucks and mining trucks has attracted significant attention. This article will examine…
Operational Scenarios, TCO Comparative Analysis, Zero-Carbon Mine Smart Energy From three perspectives, this analysis delves into the economic viability and future development trends of converting heavy-duty trucks and mining trucks from diesel to electric power, offering valuable insights for industry professionals.
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Heavy-duty truck : Primarily used for medium- and long-distance logistics transportation, with relatively fixed routes but longer distances. Electric heavy-duty trucks are better suited to urban short-haul delivery, port operations, and similar applications, where charging infrastructure is well-developed and single‑trip range requirements are lower.
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Mining truck : Primarily operated in enclosed environments such as mines, with fixed routes, short distances, and heavy payloads, these settings are ideal for electrification. Electrifying mining trucks not only lowers operating costs but also helps reduce environmental pollution at mining sites.
II. TCO Analysis Framework for Oil-to-Electric Conversion
TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) refers to the total cost of owning a vehicle over its entire lifecycle, primarily encompassing acquisition costs, energy costs, maintenance costs, insurance costs, and residual value. For vehicles converted from gasoline to electric, additional considerations include battery replacement costs and the expenses associated with building charging infrastructure.
Based on a full lifecycle of 800,000 kWh of charging and an energy consumption of 1.6 kWh per kilometer, the total mileage over the lifecycle is approximately 500,000 kilometers. Heavy-duty tractor‑trailer trucks require maintenance every 20,000 kilometers; each service entails 9,000 yuan for parts and 1,000 yuan for labor. During the first 200,000 kilometers, ten services are required, while in the subsequent 300,000 kilometers, the service frequency increases to 24 visits.
Assuming an electric tractor‑trailer has a battery capacity of 300 kWh, with a battery pack cost of RMB 1,000 per kWh, and that after five years the batteries can be recycled at RMB 300 per kWh; meanwhile, a diesel truck fetches a scrap value of RMB 100,000 and can still be sold as a used vehicle for RMB 100,000 after five years. With current charging costs at RMB 1.5 per kWh, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for a super‑fast‑charging electric tractor‑trailer over five years comes to RMB 2.2 million. In an international environment where fuel prices are rising sharply, the TCO of today’s diesel tractor‑trailers has already reached RMB 2.3074 million, meaning that the economic viability of conventional diesel vehicles has now fallen below that of electric ones.
By 2030, the price of battery packs is expected to fall further to RMB 850 per kWh, while the cost of photovoltaic power generation will be RMB 0.20 per kWh. With a mature electricity market and transmission and distribution charges of RMB 0.15 per kWh, supercharging service fees of RMB 0.15 per kWh, and charging line losses of 5%, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for a ultra‑fast‑charging electric tractor drops to RMB 1.3975 million—just 60.6% of the current TCO for a diesel‑powered tractor.
Mining truck
By collating and comparing the data collected during the trial‑run period, the energy‑saving advantages of all‑electric mining trucks are readily apparent, with the following key features:
1. The tonne‑kilometre transport cost is significantly lower than that of comparable fuel‑powered vehicles; at a 2% grade, energy savings reach 87.5%, with greater energy efficiency as the grade increases. At an 8.1% grade and a transport distance of 2.4 km, energy consumption can be reduced to 0.02 kWh per cubic kilometre.
2. Maintenance and parts consumption costs have been significantly reduced, to just 50% of those for gasoline vehicles.
3. The loaded vehicle travels at a higher speed than the empty vehicle,
4. The number of electric vehicles exceeds that of gasoline-powered vehicles.
5. During the trial operation, the composite operating condition achieved an energy consumption of 0.53 kWh per cubic kilometer, and under heavy-load conditions, there remains significant room for further reduction.
6. Heavy-load uphill driving results in high energy consumption and frequent charging, which negatively impacts the utilization rate.
Based on test data and routine transportation requirements, we will further optimize the cost structure and operating routes of all‑electric mining trucks, identifying the operating conditions that minimize specific energy consumption within the mine site. This approach will reduce the frequency and duration of charging, thereby extending each truck’s productive shift time. According to our calculations, the annual savings in energy costs and the additional revenue generated could amount to RMB 470,000 per vehicle, with the retrofit investment recouped in approximately one and a half years.
III. Smart Energy for Zero-Carbon Mines
Average Energy Consumption Table for a Certain Electric Mining Truck
Based on the analysis of the chart above, over the course of one year, the mine’s haul trucks transported a total of 3.39 million tonnes, consuming 107,938 kWh of electricity. The average electricity consumption per tonne of ore was 0.032 kWh. At an electricity price of 0.7 yuan per kWh, the transportation cost per tonne of ore amounts to approximately 2.24 cents.
Investing in solar‑storage‑charging systems to power mining trucks can significantly reduce long-term operating costs.
From an operational‑economic perspective, taking the project’s operating conditions as an example, the average fuel‑cost for a conventional diesel vehicle is 2.5–2.8 yuan per cubic meter, whereas the average cost for a pure electric vehicle is 0.43 yuan per cubic meter. For the flagship model, assuming a full load of 40 m³, each round trip with an electric mining truck saves more than 80 yuan compared to a diesel‑powered counterpart, delivering both environmental benefits and optimal economic efficiency. Based on an estimated daily diesel savings of approximately 180 liters per electric mining truck, if 50 vehicles operate at full capacity for one year—assuming 300 operating days—the cumulative diesel reduction would reach about 2.7 million liters. Over the same period, this would result in a total CO₂ emission reduction of roughly 7,100 tons, enabling mines to achieve a zero‑carbon, green, and intelligent transportation upgrade.
Annual fuel consumption cost: 180 liters × 50 units × 7.5 yuan/liter × 300 days = 20.25 million yuan
Investment in solar‑storage charging stations: (5 yuan/hour) = 3 + 1.5 + 0.55 yuan/W × 5 MW = 25 million yuan, including daily charging of 50 electric mining trucks totaling 5,000 kWh.
The annual fuel costs alone could fund the investment in a solar‑storage charging station for 50 vehicles: 650,000 yuan per vehicle × 50 = 32.5 million yuan. Total investment: 32.5 million + 25 million = 57.5 million yuan.
5750/2025 = 2.8 years to recover the investment
The electrification of construction machinery has become an inevitable trend, with the transition to electric heavy‑duty trucks and mining trucks accelerating. From a total cost of ownership (TCO) and operational‑cost perspective, the economic viability of electric heavy‑duty and mining trucks is already beginning to emerge. Looking ahead, as technology advances and policy support strengthens, the economic attractiveness of electric construction equipment will further improve, while the integration of zero‑carbon mines with smart energy systems will open up new opportunities for the industry.
The future is here—electrification is not just a trend, it’s an inevitability!
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