Australia’s First Heavy-Duty BEV Haul Trucks Arrive at a Mine in the Pilbara

Australia’s first Cat® 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks have arrived at BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara, kicking off on-site testing of Caterpillar’s next-generation electric haulage technology in collaboration with Rio Tinto. The arrival of these trucks marks a significant step toward electrifying one of the country’s most critical mining regions. The news was announced on Businesswire on December 4, 2025.

BHP Western Australia Iron Ore Asset President Tim Day said: “Powering up our first battery-electric haul trucks in the Pilbara is an important step forward on the mining industry’s road to decarbonization. Replacing diesel isn’t just about changing energy sources, it’s about reimagining how we operate and creating the technologies, infrastructure and supply chains to transform mining operations. These trials will help us understand how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together: the battery technologies, generation and charging infrastructure, power management, as well as the supply chains to potentially deliver this at scale.”

Day continued, saying: “A significant shift like this demands a strong commitment to research and development, coupled with collaboration across the industry. This is going to take time to get right, which is why trials like this one with Rio Tinto and Caterpillar are so critical. These trials are a critical part of this work as we bring the testing to the reality of the Pilbara. We’re excited about what we’ll learn about how best to deliver the breakthroughs required to accelerate this transition.”

Delivered through a first-of-its-kind partnership between BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar, the two Early Learner trucks are engineered to deliver zero exhaust emissions without sacrificing productivity or performance. After commissioning is complete, the trial phase will begin, evaluating how battery-electric haulage can replace diesel in large-scale iron ore operations. The results will guide the development of the technology, infrastructure, workforce readiness and processes required to support low-emission mine sites of the future.

Decarbonizing Pilbara iron ore operations will depend on continued technological progress, which is why BHP and Rio Tinto are working closely with Caterpillar, with support from WesTrac, to advance and deploy these solutions as soon as they become commercially and operationally feasible.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Pilbara Mines Managing Director Andrew Wilson said: “Decarbonizing Rio Tinto’s fleet across our 18 Pilbara mines is a significant challenge. By exploring solutions like this to reduce emissions, we hope that, over time, we will be able to move away from diesel. No single company can achieve zero emissions haulage on its own. It takes the whole industry working together. That’s why we’re working with BHP and Caterpillar to develop new solutions that will reduce emissions in mining and help us reach our net zero commitments. Through this industry-first collaboration to test Cat 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul trucks in Pilbara conditions, we hope to meet our shared goals as quickly and efficiently as we can.”

When the joint trial concludes, BHP and Rio Tinto will separately assess their readiness to move toward larger-scale testing. Insights from the Early Learner program will shape plans for additional battery-electric haul trucks and help determine how full electric fleets may be integrated into each company’s mining.

Caterpillar Inc. Resource Industries Sales Services and Technology Senior Vice President Marc Cameron said: “The arrival of the Early Learner trucks in the Pilbara marks a significant milestone in the journey toward a more sustainable future. By working side by side with our customers, we’re delivering solutions to help them solve their toughest challenges while learning together each step of the way. This collaboration is key to accelerating innovation and shaping the next generation of mining technology, and we’re excited to be on this journey together with our Early Learner customers.”

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of BHP, Rio Tinto and Caterpillar to help both mining companies reach their respective net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2050.