The two companies will work with manufacturers Caterpillar and Komatsu to conduct independent trials of their battery-electric haul trucks, including testing of battery, static and dynamic charging systems, to assess performance and productivity in the Pilbara environment.
The collaboration reflects the individual commitments made by BHP, Rio Tinto, Caterpillar and Komatsu to support BHP's and Rio Tinto's shared ambition of net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
As part of the collaboration, two CAT 793 haul trucks will be trialled from the second half of 2024, and two Komatsu 930 haul trucks tested from 2026 at mine sites in Western Australia's Pilbara region.