At bauma China 2024 recently held in Shanghai from November 26-29, XCMG unveiled version 2.0 of its 85 t class cabless, autonomous and electric mining truck, known as the ZNK95, during a special ceremony with coal mining customer Huaneng Group. Version 1.o of the ZNK95 was released in 2023, following the launch of the 70 t capacity XDR80TE-AT. At the show, the new truck was shown being loaded by another innovative machine – the XE1600H, claimed by XCMG as the world’s largest hybrid mining excavator.
The Yimin (sometimes called Yiminhe) open-pit coal mine of Huaneng Group in Inner-Mongolia, China, is the primary customer to date for the ZNK95 and has been running a small fleet of ten trucks for some time. XCMG estimates that the mine will reduce 47,000 t of diesel consumption and 149,000 t of carbon emissions after scaling up to 300 units by 2026.
The ZNK95 Intelligent Mining Dump Truck to give it its full name is the largest electric autonomous mining dump truck currently available and one of the pioneering new energy autonomous mining trucks in the industry. Featuring a cabless design, XCMG says it is fully capable of operating in high-altitude, extremely cold environments down to -40°C. The vehicle is equipped with a dedicated permanent magnet synchronous electric drive system for mining, meeting the heavy load and steep gradient requirements of mining trucks. This utilises a high torque direct-drive motor + dual high-speed motor power assembly. Its battery capacity is 509 kWh with peak power of 800 kW and maximum peak torque of 22,000 Nm.
XCMG adds that the ZNK95 innovatively utilises vehicle, cloud, and network collaborative technology to seamlessly switch between short-distance remote control, long-distance remote operation, and autonomous intelligent driving modes. The autonomous driving system integrates multiple cutting-edge technologies, offering functions such as environmental perception, decision-making and planning, vehicle control, fault diagnosis, and vehicle communication. It is capable of comprehensive mining operations across different machine types, with single-vehicle transport efficiency surpassing that of manual driving.
It can switch freely between three modes: short distance remote control, remote control, and unmanned smart driving. Customisation of various battery-swapping modes is possible such as unmanned battery swapping stations and mobile battery swapping. It utilises multi-channel RTK cm level real-time positioning using BDS, GPS, GLONASS, etc.
The XE1600H hybrid hydraulic excavator is equipped with a standard 10 m³ rock bucket, offering high mining excavation and loading efficiency with low fuel consumption. It is powered by a Cummins QSK19 engine with an integrated range extender motor also serving as a power source, allowing the engine, motor, and hydraulic pump to operate at the same speed, achieving ‘peak load shifting.’
XCMG’s self-developed high-flow electronically controlled main hydraulic valve offers advanced performance, flexible control, and the ability to precisely manage various operations. It can adjust flow and pressure according to the system’s actual load requirements, optimising load matching and reducing overflow losses, resulting in higher energy efficiency. Additionally, the use of a boom regeneration valve effectively harnesses the boom’s descent potential energy, further enhancing energy savings.
