ABB has completed the retrofit conversion of a Nuh Cement-owned diesel-fueled Euclid R85B haul truck into a fully electric, zero-emission vehicle. The two companies worked together closely to design and build this retrofit project, which is the first time in the world that a vehicle of this size and class type has been fully electrified.

In addition to overall system engineering, ABB’s contribution to the project included a patented BORDLINE CC200, traction battery, an air-cooled traction motor, vehicle control electronics, a battery thermal management system, and a DC Fast charger.

Nuh Cement’s haul truck at work in Turkey

The cement mine, which is located in Kocaeli-Körfez, east of the Marmara region surrounding Istanbul, Türkiye, is positioned in such a way that the trucks travel downhill, fully loaded, on an average ramp gradient of between 18-20%. Regenerative braking enables the truck to recharge its battery as it descends, and once unloaded, ascend to the top of the mine using only previously regenerated electric power.

According to the partners, the use of ABB’s electric drivetrain solutions in place of a diesel combustion engine offers significantly lower operating costs via a reduction of both fuel consumption and maintenance requirements. In addition, the truck operates with higher performance, thereby increasing the vehicles productivity. On-site workers also benefit from the switch to electric propulsion through reduced noise, less vibration, and a cleaner work environment.

“This retrofitting conversion is one of the first in the world and we’re delighted with the result. It leads the way towards a more sustainable future for the mining and cement industries and will significantly reduce our costs and impact on the environment”, said Group CEO of Nuh Cement, Gökhan Bozkurt.

ABB Motion’s Traction Division President, Edgar Keller added: “The completion of this project is enormously satisfying because it gives new life to machines that otherwise would have expired, whilst simultaneously lowering costs, reducing carbon emissions and boosting the productivity of Nuh Cement’s operations”.

Highlights

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