130-Ton Electric Trucks Power Swedish Mine 4,000 Feet Down

Nearly a mile beneath the Swedish town of Malmberget, a quiet revolution is rumbling through the darkness.

Swedish mining company LKAB has deployed two massive electric haul trucks in its iron ore mine, each weighing 130 tons and operating more than 4,000 feet underground. These aren't your average vehicles. They can move over 3,200 tons of iron ore in a single day's work.

Each truck runs on a 624 kWh battery that powers it for seven hours of fully loaded hauling per charge. And surprisingly, being buried deep underground creates perfect conditions for battery performance.

"The environment is dark, but it's ideal for electric vehicles," explains Pär Sundqvist, an electrification engineer at LKAB. "We have good roads and a constant temperature of around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius, which is perfect for batteries."

The trucks charge at speeds up to 375 kW, taking about 80 minutes to fully recharge between shifts. Unlike typical electric semi trucks, these underground haulers use a central electric motor paired with an automated gearbox and conventional axles, creating even more torque than road vehicles for the demanding underground work.

LKAB worked closely with truck manufacturer Scania to customize every detail for underground conditions. The partnership resulted in trucks so specialized they don't even have an official model name.

The Ripple Effect

This quiet transformation happening deep below ground signals something bigger for heavy industry. LKAB aims to electrify 30% of its entire mining fleet by 2027, and they're already on track to hit that goal.

The switch means safer working conditions for miners, quieter operations, and significantly lower emissions from an industry traditionally dependent on diesel. What happens in Swedish mines today could reshape mining operations worldwide tomorrow.

The project proves that electric heavy-duty transport can handle the most demanding jobs right now, not in some distant future. If it works nearly a mile underground, hauling tons of rock through tunnels, it can work almost anywhere.

Underground electric mining is showing us that the future of clean industrial work is already here, one massive load at a time.