The world’s first sodium-ion electric mining trucks have been debuted in China, boasting total battery capacity of 676 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and charging to 100 per cent in as little as 25 minutes.
Chinese sodium-ion battery manufacturer HiNa Battery Technology (also known as Zhongke Haina) partnered with Tongli Heavy Industry in delivering the trucks to a Chinese mining company Tangshan Sanyou Mining.
The truck itself is a 75-tonne Tonly TLE120 mining truck, a battery electric dump truck that the company independently developed and produced, and which uses batteries from Chinese giant CATL for a total capacity of 770 kWh.
The trucks have a maximum speed of 45 km/h and are able to climb up to 35 degrees, and the truck puts out average power of 500 kilowatts (kW), and up to 800 kW at its peak.
The truck delivered to Tangshan Sanyou Mining, however, is fitted with HiNa’s “Starfish” sodium-ion battery, which achieves an energy density in excess of 165 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and can be charged from 0 to 100 per cent in between 20 to 25 minutes.
The Starfish was unveiled early last year and boasts a cycle life of over 8,000 and can operate effectively across a wide array of temperatures – from -40°C to 45°C, making it a perfect option for mining across China’s varied climates. According to HiNa, the Starfish battery demonstrates a temperature rise of ≤10°C during pack fast-charging.
HiNa offers the Starfish in four different product models, the Starfish K150 and K210 for short-haul transportation, and the Starfish K280 and K350 for logistics and transport.
At the battery’s launch, Li Shujun, general manager of HiNa Battery, said that the Starfish battery “achieves a substantial increase in total output while significantly reducing overall costs.” This is achieved thanks to the battery’s three core values – “Less Loading, Faster Charging, More Utility”.
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