Exxaro’s Grootegeluk To Test Hitachi’s Hybrid Mining Truck Technology

Exxaro Resources’ Grootegeluk coal mine in South Africa will become the testing ground for Hitachi Construction Machinery’s (HCM) new hybrid mining truck as the manufacturer advances its strategy to reduce emissions from large mining fleets.

The demonstration project forms part of HCM’s broader decarbonisation roadmap, which includes commercialising battery-electric mining trucks by 2028 and introducing hybrid mining trucks by 2031. Following successful trials, the company plans to roll out the technology to mining operations worldwide.

Hybrid Truck Designed to Cut Fuel Use and Emissions

The hybrid system will be developed by retrofitting HCM’s existing EH4000AC-3 mining truck with battery storage, charge and discharge control equipment, and modifications to its AC drive system.

The truck will continue using diesel-generated electricity to power its drive motors while recovering energy through regenerative braking. The stored battery energy will then be reused during operation, reducing overall diesel consumption.

According to HCM, the hybrid system is expected to lower fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by more than 10%.

A mining truck operating approximately 20 hours per day for 350 days annually is projected to reduce diesel consumption from around 1.2 million litres to 1 million litres per year, while cutting annual carbon dioxide emissions from approximately 3,000 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes.

The company added that using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) could theoretically reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90%.

Grootegeluk Selected For South African Trial

The technology demonstration is scheduled to begin at Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine in Limpopo Province by October 2027.

HCM selected Grootegeluk because of its long-standing partnership with Exxaro, the mine’s large-scale operations and the company’s commitment to lowering emissions.

Covering approximately 6 km by 3 km, Grootegeluk is one of South Africa’s largest coal mines and supplies between 20% and 25% of the country’s electricity generation through coal deliveries to Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi power stations.

The operation delivered 21.4 million tonnes of coal in 2025 and has annual delivery capacity exceeding 25 million tonnes.

Existing Fleet Supports Hybrid Conversion

Grootegeluk already operates a large fleet of diesel-electric haul trucks, making it well suited for evaluating hybrid technology.

Its fleet includes more than 100 mining trucks, comprising older Hitachi (Euclid) EH3500 and EH4500 models, Hitachi EH4000AC-3 trucks, Komatsu 730E trucks, seven recently acquired Komatsu 830E-5 units and seven XCMG XDE260 haul trucks.

The mine also retains trolley-assisted haulage infrastructure on its main ramps, providing additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency while reducing diesel use on sections of the haul cycle not served by trolley lines.

Should the trial prove successful, HCM’s existing EH4000AC-3 fleet offers potential for future hybrid conversions.

Supporting The Transition to Lower-Emission Mining

The hybrid truck programme is being developed jointly by Hitachi Construction Machinery and Hitachi Industrial Products, with support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The project will assess fuel savings, battery durability, operational performance under mining conditions and maintenance requirements while also providing specialised training for service personnel in South Africa and other Southern Hemisphere markets.

UNIDO noted that while fully electric mining trucks remain a long-term objective, many operations currently face challenges related to charging infrastructure, power supply, battery costs and mine operating conditions.

Hybrid technology provides an interim solution that lowers emissions without requiring major infrastructure upgrades or changes to mine productivity.

Part Of a Broader Decarbonisation Strategy

The Grootegeluk trial complements Exxaro’s wider sustainability programme, which includes commissioning the 68 MW Lephalale Solar Plant in December 2025 as the company’s first major self-generation renewable energy project.

HCM believes hybrid trucks will play an important role in helping mining companies transition towards lower-carbon operations while maintaining productivity.

The manufacturer also aims to become the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to commercialise hybrid mining haul trucks, positioning the technology as a practical bridge between conventional diesel fleets and fully electric mining equipment.