There is already a booming market in diesel to electric mining truck conversion in China – while IM has previously detailed the work being carried out by companies like HATL (Fujian Hongda Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd) and Huigong Group via Xingdong Lithium Battery Technology Co Ltd (XDLE); but other companies are getting involved in this market as well, which in China is often referred to as oil-to-electric.
These include Nanjing AE System Technology (AEAUTO) which now offers complete battery electric vehicle modification kits and charging systems for large mining equipment such as loaders, bulldozers, and mechanical drive trucks. the company told IM that it currently has the capability to convert trucks up to 100 ton class, and has already converted Caterpillar 777 units in Pakistan and Southeast Asia.
Chenkuan Luo, Nanjing AE System Technology Project Manager, Mining Trucks: “At Nanjing AE System, we help mining companies transform existing diesel mining trucks into more efficient electric-powered equipment. Our goal is simple – reduce fuel and maintenance costs and lower carbon emissions and extend existing equipment service life. We help reduce capital investment compared with purchasing new trucks. Your existing diesel fleet could be your next electrification opportunity.”
Its solutions include a pure electric retrofit to convert diesel haul trucks into fully electric vehicles; an
extended-range electric retrofit, combining electric drive technology with range-extending power systems; supporting energy infrastructure including charging stations and energy storage, plus technical services and lifecycle support.
Another new market entrant is one of the world’s largest electric motor and drive companies, Wolong Electric, which is headquartered in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. In June, it held the Wolong Mining Vehicle Unmanned Electrification System Solution Launch Conference, themed ‘Intelligent Drive for the Mines, Green Future’ at the Wolong Electric Drive Permanent Magnet Motor Industrial Park in Baotou, Inner Mongolia.
This launch event focused on the needs of low-carbon transformation and intelligent upgrading in mines, but it included the release of Wolong’s oil-to-electric conversion program for mining vehicles, along with offerings in autonomous haulage and high-efficiency electric drive systems, it said “helping the mining industry move toward a new stage of electrification, intelligence, and unmanned development.”
Wei Min, General Manager of Autobi Electric (Shanghai) Co Ltd, part of Wolong, reviewed the company’s technical accumulation, global R&D system, and industrialisation cases in the field of new energy heavy-duty equipment. He showcased Wolong’s full-chain advantages from core electric drive components to complete vehicle system integration, and explained in detail the company’s development path and market layout for entering the oil-to-electric conversion track for mining vehicles.
Liu Lifei, Chief Engineer of Autobi Motor, provided an explanation of the core technical solution, focusing on the autonomous mining truck oil-to-electric conversion system and prototype vehicles. To address industry challenges such as vehicle range, stable power, unmanned collaborative control, and safety protection under complex conditions in open-pit mines, the system disassembles the company’s self-developed electric drive assembly, energy management system, and vehicle-road collaborative control solution.
Wolong released a 70 t class wide-body mining truck oil-to-electric prototype equipped with a Wolong 500 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor and an 801 kWh large-capacity battery system, supporting four-gun 1,000A fast charging. This was a converted YTK105D diesel truck from Yutong, which is a major player in battery electric mining trucks in its own right, but is cooperating with Wolong for the conversion market.
The oil-to-electric conversion solution Wolong says can save about 50% in purchase costs, significantly lowering the electrification threshold for mining customers compared to the brand-new electric mining trucks.
“Converting oil to electricity is not just about switching energy, but also paving the way for unmanned and intelligent operations,” argued Lifei, who also explained that electrified mining trucks are naturally adapted for unmanned collaborative control, and combined with vehicle-road coordination solutions and intelligent energy management, can effectively support continuous operations around the clock.
And it is not just focused on China. Wolong’s business expansion now extends to overseas markets such as Mongolia, Russia, Australia, Thailand, and Laos. Wolong has signed cooperation agreements with multiple vehicle manufacturers and operating customers, establishing partnerships in areas such as oil-to-electric conversion of mining trucks and electric drive system supply.
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