IRVING, TX—Caterpillar Inc. has unveiled an electric version of its 793 truck. The big, heavy-payload vehicle, which is used for mining applications in remote locations around the world, recently underwent a series of successful tests at Cat’s proving ground in Green Valley, AZ.

Fully loaded to its rated capacity, the battery-powered truck achieved a top speed of 37.3 mph. It traveled 1 kilometer up a 10 percent grade at 7.5 mph. The truck also performed a 1 kilometer downhill run, capturing the energy that would normally be lost to heat and regenerating that energy to the battery. Upon completing the entire run, the truck maintained enough battery energy to perform additional complete cycles.

“Our global team came together to develop this truck at an accelerated pace to help our customers meet their sustainability commitments,” says Denise Johnson, resource industries group president at Caterpillar. “This demonstration is a significant milestone, and we are excited for these trucks to get to work at customers’ sites around the world in the near future.”

The tests were conducted in conjunction with several mining companies, including BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Corp., Rio Tinto and Teck Resources Ltd. During the event, a prototype truck moved around a 4.3-mile course while Cat engineers monitored more than 1,100 data channels to validate simulation and modeling capabilities.