Investigation of Fast Charging and Battery Swapping Options for Electric Haul Trucks in Underground Mines

Diesel-based vehicles are prevalent in underground mines all over the world. These mines require extensive ventilation due to toxic gas and heat emissions from diesel engines. Thus, mining is a prime candidate for electrification. This research performs an investigation of battery swapping and fast charging for purely battery-powered underground haul trucks, focusing on productivity and cost. The results show that battery swapping with the largest feasible battery size (348 kWh pack) gives 2.8% more productivity than the best fast charging option (600 kW charge rate with 228 kWh battery pack), but costs 65% more over the five-year time span considered. With a 228 kWh pack, battery swapping gives equal productivity as fast charging, but costs 48% more.