Zijin Longking Unveils China's Largest Battery-Electric Mining Truck

Zijin Longking has unveiled the ZL230E, a pure electric haul truck that stands as the largest-tonnage battery-electric mining vehicle in China. The vehicle was officially introduced during a ceremony in Longyan City, Fujian Province, on August 10, 2026.

Designed for heavy-duty open-pit operations, the ZL230E (also referred to as the LK350E) features a gross vehicle weight of 350 tonnes and a maximum payload capacity of 230 tonnes. The truck has an empty weight of 120 tonnes and a heaped body capacity of 125 cubic metres. To move this mass, the powertrain utilizes two 800 kW electric motors located in the rear drive axles. To address the critical issue of uptime, the battery system is engineered for rapid recovery, capable of charging to 90% capacity in just 25 minutes.

Strategic Shift to In-House BEVs

The development of the ZL230E follows a broader strategic pivot by the Zijin Mining Group. The company has been aggressively transitioning its fleet toward battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) after encountering difficulties sourcing suitable ultra-class electric haulers from external suppliers. This gap in the market prompted Zijin to develop its own proprietary line of electric machinery, starting with a 140-ton model deployed at its Wulagen mine before scaling up to the current 230-tonne platform.

The Push for Intelligent Mining

Beyond electrification, Zijin Longking is focusing on the "intelligentisation" of its fleet. As part of the ZL230E launch, the company signed a strategic cooperation agreement with EACON, an Australian firm specializing in autonomous driving technology. EACON currently manages more than 3,100 autonomous mining trucks globally, and this partnership aims to integrate those self-driving capabilities directly into the ZL230E platform. According to Longking, the electrification and intelligentisation of mining operations are currently converging at an accelerated pace.

Industry Implications

This launch represents a significant scaling of battery technology in the mining sector, moving the industry from mid-sized electric haulers into the ultra-class category. By combining massive payload capacities with ultra-fast charging and autonomous systems, Zijin Longking is attempting to eliminate the carbon emissions and operational downtime typically associated with traditional diesel-powered fleets in large-scale operations.

Future Outlook

Industry observers will now watch for the deployment of the ZL230E in active mine sites to determine if the 25-minute charging window is sufficient to maintain the continuous cycle times required for high-volume extraction. While the truck establishes a new benchmark for electric tonnage in China, the long-term success of the platform will depend on the seamless integration of EACON's autonomous software within the harsh environments of open-pit mining.