Tritium, a global developer and manufacturer of DC fast chargers for EVs, and Miller Technology, a supplier of mobile mining equipment for safety and productivity, are partnering to provide fast chargers and light-duty battery EVs for the mining industry. The companies’ inaugural project at the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) mine in Queensland is an important milestone, supporting the BHP Group’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Tritium provided RT175-S fast chargers to BMA for the project. At 175kW of output, the RT175-S can provide 171 kilometers (106 miles) of range to an EV in as little as 10 minutes. This robust charger is liquid-cooled with an enclosure that is sealed and IP65 rated, protecting the power electronics against dirt and dust on mine sites.

As the only liquid-cooled, IP65-rated EV charging technology provider, Tritium is uniquely positioned to support the mining industry’s transition to electric vehicles through innovative charging technology that is sealed to protect against sediment, dust and moisture, and rated to operate in harsh conditions.

Tritium’s chargers have been operating in the field since 2013 across an array of conditions from the Nordics to Australia. In this industry, that’s a long history of proven track record which gave Miller Technology the confidence to choose Tritium to partner with them in this operational change in support of their goal to reduce emissions at their sites.

—Tritium CEO Jane Hunter

Tritium made modifications to the already robust RT175-S fast charger to meet and exceed Australian mining standards. The modifications made during this project influenced the design of Tritium’s latest charging products with inclusions such as additional safety standards and filtration capabilities.

Miller Technology provided BMA with their all-new, fully electric light-duty vehicle, the Relay. Capable of charging in as little as 20 minutes for a typical 10-hour mining shift, the Relay can add up to two hours of additional run time through regenerative braking technology. Miller Technology has invested over a decade of research and development into the Relay, concentrating on serviceability, modularity with rugged design and construction.

Relay’s technology creates a game changing vehicle with its unique battery management system and cooling and temperature monitoring capabilities. As a result, the Relay is the most environmentally-friendly, safe and efficient light-duty mining vehicle of its kind available today.

—Paul Summers, Miller Technology’s Lead Battery Electric Vehicle Engineer

The Relay, designed entirely in-house, can carry a two-ton payload and delivers 1,550 N·m of torque. It uses an exceptionally efficient and robustly-tested rechargeable energy storage system (RESS). The Relay charges through the combined charging system (CCS) type 2, one of the most convenient and most widely adopted charging standards.

Miller Technology has designed and produced vehicles for the mining sector for over 40 years, being founded in 1979. Core business in recent decades has focussed on modifying the Toyota Land Cruiser for specific mining applications, such as underground scissor lifts, personnel carriers, ANFO Explosive Loaders, etc.

In 2011 Miller realized that new technologies were needed to offer a cleaner, safer environment for mine workers and the general environment. Miller Technology started to explore these new technologies, initially pursuing Battery Electric Vehicle technology, and the subsequent 10 years of exhaustive development has culminated in the Relay BEV, along with an electric underground grader utilizing the same powertrain as the Relay.

Latest technologies continue to be explored with current engagement in fully autonomous electric vehicles for mining and investigations into the development of hydrogen fuel cells as an energy source.