Swedish-built electric haulers weighing roughly 110,000 pounds are heading for a Canadian gold operation, signaling how quickly heavy mining is pivoting away from diesel. Instead of belching exhaust deep underground, these battery machines promise quieter drifts, cleaner air and a new benchmark for what a modern mine looks like. I see this shift as part of a broader race among equipment makers and mine owners to prove that low‑carbon extraction can still move serious rock.
The move fits into a wider Canadian push to electrify underground fleets, with operators ordering entire suites of battery loaders, trucks and support gear from specialist manufacturers. As more of these 50‑ton class haulers arrive, the question is no longer whether electric machines can survive in harsh conditions, but how fast mines can redesign their infrastructure and workflows around them.
The Swedish heavyweights heading underground
The headline machines in this story are massive Swedish haulers built to move ore loads that would once have been the sole domain of diesel. Tipping the scales at about 110,000 pounds, or roughly 50 tons, they sit in the same weight class as the largest underground trucks already working Canadian drifts, but swap fuel tanks for battery packs. I see their arrival as a proof point that electrification is no longer confined to light utility vehicles or pilot projects at the fringes of production.
These haulers are part of a new generation of fully battery powered trucks that a Swedish firm has designed specifically for deep, hard‑rock mines. Reporting on the deployment highlights that the vehicles are 50-ton units, built by a Swedish manufacturer for a Canadian customer, and that the mine has already committed to additional orders after initial trials. That kind of repeat buying tells me the operator is not just experimenting, but betting its long‑term production plan on battery haulage.
Why Canadian gold miners are betting on batteries
Canadian gold mines have strong incentives to electrify, and not only for climate optics. Deep underground, every liter of diesel burned turns into heat and fumes that must be pushed out with powerful fans and cooled with energy hungry refrigeration. By shifting to battery trucks and loaders, operators can cut both emissions and ventilation loads, which in turn reduces operating costs and allows them to push deeper without hitting thermal limits.
That logic is visible in the way one Canadian gold and copper operation has ordered a full suite of battery machines from Epiroc, including trucks, loaders and development rigs tailored to its orebody. In that case, the mine owner is working in close collaboration with Epiroc to match battery capacity, charging layouts and duty cycles to the specific demands of Canadian geology. I read that as a sign that electrification is being woven into mine design from the start, not bolted on as an afterthought.
Inside the 110,000‑lb haulers’ technology
Under the skin, these 110,000‑pound haulers are rolling battery banks wrapped around an electric drivetrain that delivers instant torque to the wheels. Instead of a diesel engine and torque converter, they rely on high‑capacity lithium battery packs, power electronics and electric motors that can be tuned precisely for the steep ramps and tight corners of underground headings. That architecture not only eliminates tailpipe emissions, it also cuts noise and vibration, which matters for both operator comfort and equipment wear.
The Swedish manufacturer behind the 50‑ton trucks has optimized the design for quick turnaround, pairing the haulers with fast charging and, in some cases, battery swapping to keep utilization high in a Canadian setting where every minute of ramp time counts. The same philosophy shows up in the way Epiroc configures its battery vehicles for a Canadian gold and copper mine, with energy storage sized to match the haul profile and charging integrated into the production schedule in close collaboration with the operator. When I look across these deployments, I see a clear pattern: the technology is no longer generic, it is being engineered mine by mine.
Sandvik and Epiroc stake out the Canadian market
Behind the scenes, there is a fierce contest among equipment suppliers to dominate Canada’s emerging battery mining market. On one side, Epiroc has secured a large order for battery electric vehicles at a Canadian gold and copper site, positioning its trucks, loaders and drills as a complete package for operators that want a single technology stack. On the other, Sandvik is pushing hard with its own battery portfolio, targeting the same underground segments with a different mix of machines and digital tools.
That competition came into sharp focus when Sandvik announced a large order for battery electric mining equipment in Canada through its business area Mining at Sandvik. The deal covers multiple units and confirms that Canadian operators are willing to split their fleets between suppliers if it helps them secure the right mix of capabilities. When I set that alongside the Canadian order that Epiroc has won, it is clear that the country has become a proving ground where global manufacturers test not only their hardware, but also their service models and long‑term partnerships.
Operational gains: from ventilation to productivity
From an operational standpoint, the most immediate benefit of swapping diesel haulers for 110,000‑pound battery trucks is the impact on ventilation. Every diesel engine removed from an underground fleet reduces the volume of air that must be pushed through the workings to dilute exhaust, which in turn allows operators to shrink fans, cut power consumption or redirect airflow to new headings. In deep Canadian gold mines where ventilation is often the single largest energy cost, that shift can materially change the economics of each tonne of ore.
Productivity is the other side of the ledger. Electric drivetrains deliver full torque from zero speed, which helps heavy haulers climb steep ramps more consistently and accelerate faster out of loading bays. The Swedish 50‑ton units being deployed in Canada are designed to exploit that characteristic, pairing high power motors with battery packs sized for repeated trips between stope and surface. When I look at the way Epiroc and Sandvik are configuring their Canadian fleets, I see them using battery analytics and duty cycle data to fine tune speeds, charging windows and shift patterns so that the new trucks do not just match diesel performance, but exceed it over a full day.
Challenges that could slow the electric haulage boom
None of this is frictionless. Installing the charging infrastructure needed to keep 110,000‑pound haulers moving is a major capital project, especially in remote Canadian camps where grid connections are limited and power prices are volatile. Mines must carve out space for chargers or battery swap bays, reinforce electrical systems and train crews to manage high voltage equipment safely underground. I see that as a front‑loaded investment that can pay off over the life of a mine, but it still demands cash and planning at a time when many operators are juggling multiple expansion projects.
There is also the question of battery life and replacement. Heavy haulage cycles, with constant acceleration on grades and frequent braking, are punishing on cells, and operators need confidence that packs will last long enough to justify their cost. The Swedish firm supplying the 50‑ton trucks has addressed that by designing its vehicles for modular battery changes and by working with the Canadian customer to monitor degradation in real time. Similarly, Epiroc’s collaboration with a Canadian gold and copper mine suggests that both sides are sharing data to refine charging strategies and maintenance intervals. In my view, that kind of partnership is essential if the early adopters are to avoid expensive surprises a few years into operation.
What this means for mining’s climate footprint
Electrifying 110,000‑pound haulers does not make gold extraction clean, but it does tackle one of the most visible sources of mine site emissions. Diesel combustion in underground trucks and loaders is a major contributor to a mine’s direct greenhouse gas profile, and replacing those engines with batteries can cut a significant share of Scope 1 emissions, especially when paired with low carbon electricity. For Canadian operators that already draw on hydro heavy grids, the emissions reduction per truck can be substantial.
The broader climate impact depends on how quickly fleets scale and how the rest of the mine evolves. Orders placed with Epiroc for a Canadian gold and copper mine and with Sandvik for battery equipment in Canada show that operators are not just buying a token truck or two, but moving toward majority electric fleets in key areas. When I connect that trend to the Swedish 50‑ton haulers now heading to a Canadian gold operation, I see a cumulative effect: each new battery machine displaces another diesel unit, gradually shrinking the carbon intensity of every ounce of gold shipped to market.
Canada as a test bed for global electrification
Canada’s geology, regulatory environment and power mix make it an ideal laboratory for heavy electric mining equipment. Deep, high grade gold deposits justify the capital outlay for new technology, while relatively clean electricity in many provinces amplifies the climate benefits of electrification. At the same time, Canadian regulators and communities are pressing operators to cut emissions and improve underground air quality, which creates a strong policy tailwind for battery fleets.
That context helps explain why both Epiroc and Sandvik have secured large Canadian orders and why a Swedish manufacturer has chosen a Canadian gold mine as an early home for its 50‑ton haulers. If these 110,000‑pound trucks can prove their reliability in harsh Canadian winters and complex underground networks, I expect the same designs, or their successors, to spread quickly to other mining regions. In that sense, the gold being hauled by Swedish electric trucks in Canada is not just a commodity, it is a test case for how the global mining industry might decarbonize without sacrificing output.
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