Mining trucks make a lot of sense to electrify: they regularly haul heavy loads on relatively short routes. The companies that Caterpillar partnered with for its Early Learner program in 2021 were instrumental in the design of the electric 793. Though details about what was requested have not been published, it's clear that this feedback was essential to the final product. Participants of the program with definitive electrification agreements include BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Corporation, Rio Tinto and Teck Resources Limited.
Early Learner customers came together to witness a live demonstration of Caterpillar's prototype battery truck on a seven-kilometer (4.3-mile) course. During the event, Caterpillar monitored over 1,100 data channels, gathering 110,000 data points per second, to validate simulation and engineering modeling capabilities. Fully loaded to its rated capacity, the truck achieved a top speed of 60 km/h (37.3 mph). The loaded truck traveled one kilometer (0.62 mile) up a 10% grade at 12 km/h (7.5 mph). The truck also performed a one kilometer (0.62 mile) run on a 10% downhill grade, capturing the energy that would normally be lost to heat and regenerating that energy to the battery.
Caterpillar points out that, upon completing the entire run, the truck maintained enough battery energy to perform additional complete cycles. But it hasn't released key details like the pack's size, the truck's range, or the charging time. At the moment, it is unknown when exactly the electric 793 will reach production. All that is known for sure is that it will happen at some point in the future.
Source: Caterpillar