Zijin is showcasing a 350-ton electric dump truck
Zijin Longking is expanding its range of electric mining vehicles with the ZL230E. This new battery-powered dump truck can transport up to 230 tons of material and is said to be able to charge its battery to 90 percent in 25 minutes.
The Chinese mining equipment manufacturer Zijin Longking introduced the ZL230E in early August. According to the company, the vehicle was developed in-house and is designed for intensive continuous operation in open-pit mines. With a weight of 120 tons and a maximum payload of 230 tons, the electric dump truck has an allowable total weight of up to 350 tons, and its bucket can hold 125 cubic meters when filled.
In terms of propulsion, Zijin Longking relies on a multi-axle system with independently driven axles. Two electric motors, each with 800 kW of power, together provide 1.6 MW, with the output distributed to individual axles depending on driving conditions. This setup is designed to ensure the ZL230E delivers high sustained performance even during uphill climbs with heavy loads or on long transport routes. Zijin does not disclose details about the battery chemistry, but it is known to have a capacity of around 1,400 kWh and a charging time of 25 minutes to reach 90 percent charge. For use in demanding conditions, the ZL230E also features a particularly rigid frame, redundant braking and steering systems, dual suspension control, and intelligent energy management.
The ZL230E is not an isolated project. Zijin has been advancing the electrification of its mining fleet for several years already. By the end of 2025, Zijin Longking had introduced an electric dump truck of its own design, the LK220E. The ZL230E, now unveiled, was previously developed under the name LK350E and expands the portfolio into a much higher payload class.
The company gains practical experience, among other places, at the Julong copper mine in Tibet, where several battery-powered dump trucks built by Zijin Longking with a payload of 140 tons each are already in use. According to the company, they move more than 2,000 tons of material per day each, achieve an availability rate of over 90 percent, and have energy consumption that is more than 17 percent lower than that of comparable vehicles.
Zijin employs various concepts for energy supply: while the ZL230E relies on fast charging, replaceable batteries are used at other locations; for instance, battery swaps are automated at the Xinjiang Zijin zinc mine. In the long term, the company aims to combine electric trucks with wind and solar energy, stationary storage, as well as charging and battery swapping infrastructure.
The expansion is driven by an ambitious goal: Zijin aims to replace conventional mining trucks with electric models within three years. The company estimates that the cost per ton-kilometer for its electric trucks in Chinese mines is already about 29 percent lower than that of diesel-powered vehicles. Zijin has not yet specified when the new ZL230E will be produced in larger quantities or delivered to the first mines.