XCMG Deploys World's Largest Autonomous Electric Mining Truck Fleet in Inner Mongolia

The Cabless Revolution

One hundred driverless XCMG ZNK95 haul trucks now operate at the Huaneng Yimin open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia—the world's largest fleet of autonomous electric mining trucks. Announced in May 2025, the deployment eliminates human operators from hazardous pit environments while cutting diesel consumption and carbon emissions.

Technical Specifications

The ZNK95 is an 85-tonne battery-electric haul truck built without a driver's cab. Each vehicle carries a 509 kWh battery pack that swaps on-site in approximately six minutes, avoiding lengthy charging downtime. The powertrain delivers 800 kW peak power and 22,000 Nm maximum torque, engineered to function in temperatures as low as -40°C—critical for Inner Mongolia's climate.

XCMG describes the ZNK95 as the largest electric autonomous mining dump truck currently available, positioning it as a flagship product in China's push toward "green and smart mining."

Operational Performance

The fleet achieves more than 400 operating hours per month at 120% of manual operation efficiency, according to XCMG. The cabless design enables continuous 24/7 cycles without shift changes or driver fatigue constraints.

"Unmanned is Safe," XCMG states, emphasizing the safety benefits of removing personnel from active mining zones where rockfalls, collisions, and exposure to dust and noise present ongoing hazards.

Separate from SPIC Operations

This deployment is distinct from driverless operations at the nearby State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) South Open-pit Coal Mine, which uses different equipment. SPIC's driverless stripping project employs 100-ton extended-range hybrid trucks from Easy Control Intelligent Driving and Hunan Chuxiang, not XCMG's battery-electric ZNK95 fleet.

Strategic Context

The Huaneng Yimin deployment follows XCMG's iterative development of the ZNK series, scaling from the 70-tonne XDR80TE-AT to the current 85-tonne ZNK95. State-owned enterprises across China are integrating 5G connectivity, autonomous driving systems, and renewable energy infrastructure to reduce the environmental footprint and operational risks of open-pit mining.

The model demonstrates a scalable pathway for decarbonizing heavy industry: rapid battery swapping sustains uptime, autonomy removes human risk, and electrification eliminates tailpipe emissions. If the Huaneng Yimin results hold across additional sites, cabless electric haulage could become standard practice for large-scale mining operations in cold-climate regions.