The BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) joint venture has met a crucial milestone on its journey to net-zero emissions: the deployment of a Miller Technology light-duty battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and fast-charging units from Tritium.

The project ­– a first for the companies – at BMA’s Bowen Basin coal mine in Queensland is highlighted by Miller’s Relay, a new release electric vehicle that can be fully charged in 20 minutes for a 10-hour shift and has a 2-tonne payload capacity. Regenerative braking can add an additional two hours to that run time.

“The Relay is the most environmentally-friendly, safe and efficient light duty mining vehicle of its kind available today,” said Paul Summers, Miller Technology Lead Battery Electric Vehicle Engineer, who noted that the Relay can charge through the combined charging system (CCS) type 2, one of the most convenient and most widely adopted charging standards.

Tritium’s part of the project: RT175-S fast chargers which, at 175kW of output, can provide 171 kilometres (or 106 miles) of range to an EV in as little as 10 minutes. The charger is liquid cooled with an enclosure that is sealed and IP65 rated, protecting the power electronics against dirt and dust.

“As the only liquid cooled, IP65-rated EV charging technology provider, Tritium is uniquely positioned to support the mining industry’s transition to electric vehicles through innovative charging technology that is sealed to protect against sediment, dust and moisture, and rated to operate in harsh conditions,” said Tritium CEO Jane Hunter. 

“Tritium’s chargers have been operating in the field since 2013 across an array of conditions from the Nordics to Australia. In this industry, that’s a long history of proven track record which gave Miller Technology the confidence to choose Tritium to partner with them in this operational change in support of their goal to reduce emissions at their sites.”

Tritium said it made modifications to the RT175-S fast charger to meet and exceed Australian mining standards, including additional safety standards and filtration capabilities.

BMA has previously stressed its commitment to meeting net-zero emissions from its assets by 2050.

Sources: Tritium and Miller Technology