AT150 Begins Operations at an Open-Pit Mine
A driverless AT150 mining dump truck entered service in Inner Mongolia on July 30. The vehicle is operating at the Nanlutian open-pit coal mine in Holingol, a city in northern China’s autonomous region.
The electric truck has a rated payload capacity of 136 tonnes. The project was implemented by an enterprise of China’s state-owned State Power Investment Corporation, or SPIC, together with mining equipment manufacturer Inner Mongolia North Hauler Joint Stock.
According to SPIC, the AT150 is China’s first mining truck in its class to combine a fully electric powertrain, autonomous operation and bidirectional driving capability.
Complete Transport Cycle Without a Driver
The autonomous control system enables the truck to perform the main transport operations inside the mine independently. It positions itself for loading, follows a designated route, monitors its surroundings and completes precision unloading at the assigned location.
The AT150 can operate continuously in autonomous mode for more than six hours. Removing the driver from the cab also reduces the need for personnel to enter high-risk areas where heavy vehicles and large loading machines are operating.
The control system is designed for challenging open-pit mining conditions, including dust, restricted visibility, uneven surfaces and intensive movement of other industrial equipment.
Bidirectional Design Improves Maneuverability
The AT150 has no conventional driver’s cab and can travel in either direction without turning around. Its all-wheel steering system and dedicated vehicle architecture allow it to change direction in confined working areas.
Conventional mining trucks require additional time and space to complete turning maneuvers. The bidirectional configuration reduces unnecessary movements and can improve productivity in narrow sections of an open-pit mine.
This capability is particularly important near excavators, unloading points and temporary haul roads where maneuvering space may be limited.
Energy Costs Reduced by 65%
The fully electric powertrain produces no exhaust emissions at the point of operation. It can therefore reduce local air pollution at the mine and lower noise levels compared with conventional diesel-powered equipment.
According to the developers, the AT150’s unit energy costs are 65% lower than those of diesel mining trucks with a comparable payload capacity.
The launch demonstrates how electrification and autonomous control are expanding beyond road freight transport into heavy equipment used by the mining industry.
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