Underground Mining Vehicles Market Becomes a Ventilation and Productivity Decision as Battery Fleets Move from Trials to Production

Underground Mining Vehicles Market Size

The global underground mining vehicles market was valued at US$7.29 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$137 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 6.01% during 2026-2035.

Underground vehicles were historically purchased primarily around payload, reliability, engine power, and acquisition cost. Those factors remain important, but mine operators are now evaluating fleets against a wider set of costs: ventilation demand, heat generation, diesel particulate exposure, ramp speed, automation capability, charging infrastructure, maintenance requirements and tonnes moved during each operating hour.

The shift is particularly important because underground mining itself is becoming strategically more valuable. The IEA's 2026 Critical Minerals Outlook projects demand for critical minerals to almost double by 2040 under stated policies, with copper alone adding around 7 million tonnes of demand. Even after accounting for announced projects, the IEA still sees a potential copper supply gap of around 25%.

That creates a strong investment case for underground copper, gold, zinc, nickel and other metal mines capable of extending existing deposits at depth.

The vehicle opportunity is consequently moving beyond replacement demand.

New mines require loaders, haul trucks, drill carriers and utility vehicles. Existing mines need larger and more productive fleets as workings deepen. Mature diesel fleets are increasingly candidates for replacement by battery-electric, cable-electric, trolley-assisted or diesel-electric alternatives.

The strongest evidence that electrification is moving beyond pilot projects comes from equipment already operating underground. Epiroc reported more than 600 electric drill rigs, loaders and mining trucks in operation by the end of 2025, with 40 mine sites having ordered BEVs and more than 40% of operating BEV customers placing repeat orders. At Assmang's Black Rock mine in South Africa, Epiroc reports its battery-electric fleet delivered 11% more tonnes per hour while cutting ventilation requirements by 42% and energy costs by 18% versus the compared diesel fleet.

Key Highlights

• 2025 Market Size: US$7.29 Billion
• 2035 Market Value: US$137 Billion
• CAGR, 2026-2035: 6.01%
• Largest Mining Operation: Transporting/Haulage - 37.5%
• Second-Largest Operation: Loading - 30.8%
• Largest Ore-Body Application: Metal Mining - 54.2%
• Diesel Vehicle Share: 76.5%
• Electric Vehicle Share: 23.5%
• Largest Region: Asia-Pacific - 34%
• Second-Largest Region: North America - 24%
• Third-Largest Region: Latin America - 17%
• Leading Underground Vehicle Markets: Australia, China, Canada, United States, Mexico, Chile and South Africa
• Fastest Technology Shift: Battery-electric underground loaders and trucks
• Major Automation Opportunity: Tele-remote and autonomous LHD operation
• Key Electrification Advantage: Lower underground heat and ventilation demand
• Major 2026 Demand Signal: Large Sandvik fleet orders in Australia, Botswana and Mexico
• Major African Demand Signal: Epiroc's US$20 million Mopani Copper Mines underground fleet order
• Key Long-Term Commodity Driver: Copper
• Major Fleet-Purchase Metric: Cost per tonne moved over vehicle lifetime rather than machine acquisition price alone

The Market Is Moving from Vehicle Purchasing to Mine-System Economics

The greatest change in underground mining vehicles is not simply replacing one engine with a battery.

An underground vehicle affects the design and cost of the mine surrounding it.

A diesel loader produces exhaust gases and heat underground. Those emissions need to be removed through ventilation systems.

As mines become deeper, moving sufficient fresh air through kilometres of underground workings becomes increasingly energy intensive.

Battery-electric equipment changes that equation because eliminating diesel exhaust at the vehicle reduces one of the loads placed on underground ventilation.

This can affect fan sizing, ventilation energy consumption, underground temperature and the amount of infrastructure required to support deeper workings.

The economic decision therefore extends beyond the purchase price of the loader or truck.

The mine operator increasingly evaluates whether the vehicle can reduce costs elsewhere in the operation.

Epiroc's Black Rock operating results illustrate why that matters: the company reports a 42% reduction in ventilation need alongside improved tonnes-per-hour productivity for its battery fleet.

This gives underground electrification a fundamentally different value proposition from electric surface mining equipment.

Underground Electrification Is Developing Through Multiple Architectures

The market is not converging on one battery strategy.

Several technically different solutions are being commercialized because mine layouts, haul distances and charging opportunities differ.

Sandvik uses battery-swapping architecture across important portions of its underground BEV portfolio. Its charging system allows the operator to exchange batteries in about five minutes using AutoSwap and AutoConnect without leaving the cabin.

Caterpillar takes another approach with the R1700 XE battery-electric LHD. The vehicle carries its batteries onboard and can be fully charged in less than 20 minutes using two Cat MEC500 mobile chargers, eliminating separate battery-handling infrastructure.

Komatsu's WX04B uses a ground-level battery-change system, specifically designed to avoid overhead cranes and complex rigging. Its current platform is a 4-tonne narrow-vein LHD with zero local diesel emissions and battery thermal management.

Epiroc is simultaneously developing battery, opportunity-charging and trolley-assisted strategies. At Boliden's Rävliden mine, its underground MT42 SG trolley implementation delivered company-reported gains including 23% higher productivity, 50% higher ramp speed, 25% lower maintenance costs and an 80% reduction in diesel use.

These different architectures mean future competition will involve the energy system around the vehicle as much as the vehicle itself.

Battery Vehicles Are Becoming Particularly Attractive in Ramp Haulage

Ramp haulage creates one of the most demanding underground vehicle duty cycles.

Loaded trucks travel uphill for extended distances.

Diesel engines consume substantial fuel during the climb and generate heat underground.

Battery-electric drivetrains can deliver high torque immediately and recover part of the vehicle's energy through regenerative braking when travelling downhill.

The advantage becomes especially strong when trolley assistance or dynamic charging can provide energy while the truck climbs.

Epiroc's Kristineberg trolley project demonstrates how this can influence performance. The MT42 SG Trolley can use external electrical power during sections of the haul cycle while retaining battery operation elsewhere in the mine.

This hybrid infrastructure approach may become particularly important for deep mines where waiting for stationary charging would reduce vehicle utilization.

Automation Is Moving from Operator Protection to Production Optimization

The original value proposition for remote underground operation was safety.

An operator could control equipment while remaining outside a hazardous production area.

That benefit remains important.

The newer opportunity is production continuity.

Automated loaders can continue operating in production areas after blasting or during periods when personnel access is restricted.

Sandvik's AutoMine platform is increasingly included in major equipment orders. Its June 2026 Khoemacau Copper Mine contract in Botswana includes AutoMine for loaders and selected drill rigs, together with Remote Monitoring Service.

Epiroc similarly integrates automation readiness into its Smart underground fleet.

Its broader automation installed base exceeded 3,900 machines globally at year-end 2025, including Epiroc and non-Epiroc equipment.

Caterpillar's underground autonomy portfolio includes automated load-haul-dump operations, while its R1700 XE is factory-ready for autonomous functionality.

The strategic value is moving toward coordinating fleets rather than automating individual machines in isolation.

Copper Creates the Strongest Long-Term Underground Vehicle Demand Signal

Copper is becoming particularly important to underground-fleet investment.

The IEA expects copper to record the largest absolute demand growth among major critical minerals through 2040, adding around 7 million tonnes under current stated policies.

Supply remains challenging.

Existing operations face declining grades and reserve depletion, while the IEA's current project pipeline still indicates a material long-term supply deficit.

Several of the major 2026 underground vehicle orders are already connected to copper.

Epiroc's April 2026 US$20 million order from Mopani Copper Mines covers loaders and underground trucks for the Nkana and Mufulira operations in Zambia.

Sandvik's June 2026 order for the Khoemacau Copper Mine in Botswana is worth around SEK 650 million and includes loaders, trucks, drills, AutoMine and digital monitoring.

Copper therefore provides not only new-fleet demand but also a strong market for automation, digitalization and aftermarket services.

Gold Mining Supports High-Value Mechanized Underground Fleets

Gold mines represent another particularly attractive underground vehicle customer group.

Many large gold deposits extend deep below existing open pits or are developed through underground decline systems.

Australia remains one of the most active markets.

In January 2026, Sandvik received a SEK 420 million equipment order from The Redpath Group for Evolution Mining's Cowal Gold Operations. The order includes underground trucks, loaders, drill rigs, digital solutions, tools, consumables and services, with deliveries extending into 2027.

In June 2026, Sandvik received another SEK 350 million underground fleet order from Barminco for the Bellevue Gold Project in Western Australia.

These orders demonstrate why the highest-value commercial opportunity extends beyond vehicle manufacturing.

Consumables, parts, digital monitoring and long-term service can generate revenue throughout the operating life of the mine.

Underground Mining Vehicles Market Scope

Detailed Market Segmentation

Transporting and Underground Haulage - 37.5%

Transporting represented an estimated 37.5% of global market revenue in 2025, equal to US$2.73 billion, making it the largest underground vehicle operation.

Haulage vehicles move broken ore from production areas toward crushers, ore passes or surface infrastructure. Their utilization has a direct influence on overall mine output because a loader can only continue production when sufficient truck capacity is available to clear material.

The segment is moving toward higher payloads and higher ramp speeds.

Epiroc's current underground portfolio includes Minetruck models ranging across different mine requirements, while Caterpillar's AD63 provides a 63-tonne-class underground haulage platform and uses a Stage V engine option for lower emissions.

The greatest technology disruption is occurring in deeper ramp mines. Battery and trolley systems can improve uphill performance and reduce the ventilation burden created by large diesel engines.

Automation also has strong potential because haul cycles are highly repetitive. When traffic management, positioning and collision avoidance are reliable, trucks can increasingly be dispatched and coordinated through digital systems.

Loading Operations - 30.8%

Loading accounted for an estimated 30.8% of 2025 revenue, equivalent to US$2.24 billion.

Load-haul-dump vehicles are among the most important production assets in hard-rock underground mines.

Their operating cycle repeatedly combines bucket filling, acceleration, turning, tramming and dumping. This makes drivetrain responsiveness, breakout force, visibility and machine dimensions critical.

Loading is also becoming the center of battery-electric adoption.

Sandvik's Toro LH518iB combines an 18-tonne payload with a battery-electric driveline and AutoMine compatibility. The loader uses LFP battery chemistry and regenerative braking.

Caterpillar's R1700 XE provides a 15-tonne payload, onboard battery storage and Autodig functionality while producing zero exhaust emissions underground.

Komatsu's WX04B targets the opposite end of the operating spectrum: narrow-vein mines where machine width and maneuverability matter more than maximum payload.

This diversity makes LHDs one of the most technologically competitive vehicle categories through 2035.

Drilling Operations - 19.6%

Drilling vehicles represented an estimated 19.6% of 2025 market value, equivalent to US$1.43 billion.

Development drilling, production drilling and rock-reinforcement work determine how quickly new underground headings can be created and ore can be prepared for extraction.

Electrification is already relatively advanced during the drilling cycle because many underground rigs use electric power while actively drilling.

Epiroc states that its underground drill rigs are electrically powered during drilling operations.

The next step is electrifying vehicle movement between headings and increasing autonomous drilling.

Digital drill plans, automatic positioning and remote operation can allow operators to supervise equipment from control rooms while improving drilling consistency.

This makes drilling vehicles an important automation market even when their revenue share remains below loading and haulage.

Market by Ore Body

Metal Mining Leads with 54.2%

Metal mining accounted for an estimated 54.2% of market revenue in 2025, equal to US$3.95 billion.

Copper, gold, nickel, zinc, lead and other metal mines are especially important because many high-value deposits are developed underground.

The segment is also receiving the strongest current technology investment.

The IEA reports copper-focused mining companies increased capital spending by 8% in 2025, even as total critical-mineral investment fell 9%.

Current equipment orders reinforce the trend.

Cowal and Bellevue are gold-related deployments.

Mopani and Khoemacau are copper operations.

Canadian BEV adoption includes gold, copper and zinc mines.

Metal mining is therefore likely to remain the largest and most technology-intensive vehicle application through 2035.

Coal Mining - 32.7%

Coal mining accounted for an estimated 32.7% of 2025 revenue, equivalent to US$2.38 billion.

Coal remains important in large underground markets including China, India and parts of the United States.

The vehicle mix differs from hard-rock mining because longwall, room-and-pillar and continuous-miner operations have different material-flow requirements.

Diesel equipment remains significant, but safety requirements and ventilation economics create opportunities for electrified support and transport vehicles.

The long-term growth rate is likely to remain below the metal-mining segment as critical-mineral investment increasingly directs capital toward copper and other metals.

Propulsion Analysis: Diesel Still Dominates, but Its Role Is Changing

Diesel Vehicles - 76.5%

Diesel-powered vehicles accounted for an estimated 76.5% of market revenue in 2025, equal to US$5.58 billion.

The installed base remains enormous.

Diesel technology offers established refueling infrastructure, predictable operating range and a global service ecosystem.

Modern diesel engines also continue to improve.

Caterpillar's AD63 truck is available with an EU Stage V engine, while its R2900 XE combines a diesel engine with an electric drivetrain. Caterpillar reports the R2900 XE delivers more than 31% higher fuel efficiency than the compared R2900G platform.

Diesel therefore will not disappear quickly.

Instead, the market is likely to separate into mines where electrification produces sufficient ventilation and productivity savings to justify investment and mines where improved diesel or diesel-electric solutions remain commercially stronger.

Electrically Operated Vehicles - 23.5%

Electric vehicles accounted for an estimated 23.5% of 2025 market value, equal to US$1.71 billion, including battery-electric, tethered and trolley-assisted equipment.

Their share of new-equipment investment is increasing more rapidly than the installed fleet.

The most powerful driver is not zero emissions alone.

Electric machines can reduce underground heat, ventilation demand, noise and vibration while providing high drivetrain torque.

Epiroc ended 2025 with more than 600 electric drills, loaders and trucks in its active fleet and 40 mines having ordered its BEVs.

Sandvik's growing repeat orders provide another commercial signal. Eldorado Gold's Lamaque mine ordered additional BEVs in late 2025, increasing the planned Sandvik battery fleet there from two to twelve vehicles with deliveries beginning in 2026.

Electric vehicles should therefore gain substantial share through 2035 even while diesel retains the largest installed base.

Regional Opportunity Analysis

Asia-Pacific - 34%

Asia-Pacific accounted for an estimated 34% of global market revenue in 2025, equal to US$2.48 billion.

This retains the leadership identified by the current DataM page.

The region combines mature mining economies such as Australia with enormous mineral and coal production in China and India.

Australia is particularly important to the premium underground-fleet market.

The country has large gold, copper and base-metal mines, a strong mining-contractor ecosystem and high adoption of automation.

Sandvik's 2026 Cowal and Bellevue orders alone represent approximately SEK 770 million of underground fleet business scheduled for delivery from 2026 onward.

Australia consequently serves as both a major demand market and a testing ground for automation and electrification.

Australia Underground Mining Vehicles Market

Australia represented an estimated 11.2% of global revenue in 2025, equal to US$0.82 billion.

The country's underground fleet economics are strongly influenced by high labor costs, remote mine locations and a technically sophisticated mining-contractor base.

Automation provides particular value by allowing operators to work from safer locations and increasing machine utilization.

Battery-electric equipment is also gaining attention in underground hard-rock operations, although diesel fleets remain substantial.

The major Sandvik orders at Cowal and Bellevue and Epiroc's broader automation investments in Australia illustrate continued fleet spending even during periods of commodity-price volatility.

China Underground Mining Vehicles Market

China represented an estimated 9.7% of global market revenue in 2025.

The market combines underground coal production with metal mining and a growing domestic equipment-manufacturing sector.

Chinese OEMs increasingly compete with European, American and Japanese manufacturers, particularly where initial equipment price and localization are major procurement criteria.

Automation and electrification adoption should continue as mine-safety requirements tighten and deeper mines require better ventilation management.

North America - 24%

North America accounted for an estimated 24% of 2025 market revenue, equivalent to US$1.75 billion.

Canada is particularly important for underground electrification.

Its deep hard-rock gold, copper, nickel and zinc mines have created strong demand for battery-electric loaders, trucks and drill rigs.

Epiroc's 2025 Hudbay order at Lalor includes battery-electric Scooptram loaders, Minetruck haulage and drilling equipment. Epiroc stated that around one-third of mines operating its BEVs had already placed repeat orders at that point.

Sandvik is also expanding BEV fleets in Canada, including the Lamaque operation.

The region should therefore remain one of the most important commercial markets for proving the total-cost case for underground electrification.

Latin America - 17%

Latin America represented an estimated 17% of global revenue in 2025, equal to US$1.24 billion.

Copper, gold, silver and polymetallic underground mines support demand across Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia.

Mexico is particularly active.

In July 2026, Sandvik received a SEK 340 million underground equipment order from mining contractor CoMinVi covering trucks, loaders and drill rigs for multiple Mexican sites, with deliveries extending through 2028.

The region offers a strong fleet-replacement opportunity as mechanized underground operations expand and contractors increasingly standardize equipment across several mine sites.

Europe - 13.2%

Europe represented an estimated 13.2% of 2025 global revenue, equal to US$0.96 billion.

Sweden and Finland remain particularly important from a technology perspective.

The Nordic mining ecosystem has become one of the world's most active environments for underground electrification and automation.

Boliden and Epiroc's Kristineberg trolley implementation demonstrates how batteries, trolley infrastructure and regenerative energy can be combined for ramp haulage.

European OEMs Sandvik and Epiroc also provide the region with a major technology-development base.

Middle East & Africa - 11.8%

Middle East & Africa generated an estimated 11.8% of global revenue in 2025, equal to US$0.86 billion.

The region's opportunity is being strengthened by underground copper and gold investment.

Epiroc's April 2026 Mopani order covers equipment for Zambia's Nkana and Mufulira copper mines.

Sandvik's approximately SEK 650 million Khoemacau order in Botswana is even larger and combines trucks, loaders, drills, automation and monitoring technology.

This suggests African underground-fleet demand is moving toward integrated equipment-and-technology packages rather than basic machine procurement alone.

Recent 2026 Commercial Signals

January 2026 - Sandvik Wins SEK 420 Million Cowal Order

The Redpath Group ordered underground loaders, trucks and drill rigs for Evolution Mining's Cowal Gold Operations in Australia. Digital solutions, tools, consumables, parts and services are also included, with deliveries from mid-2026 into 2027.

April 2026 - Epiroc Wins US$20 Million Mopani Copper Fleet Order

Mopani Copper Mines ordered Minetruck MT436 and MT42 S haulage vehicles together with Scooptram ST14 S and ST1030 loaders for its Nkana and Mufulira underground mines in Zambia.

June 2026 - Sandvik Secures SEK 650 Million Botswana Fleet Contract

JCHX selected Sandvik loaders, trucks and drills for the Khoemacau Copper Mine expansion. The contract also includes AutoMine and Remote Monitoring Service, showing the increasing value of digital systems within underground fleet contracts.

June 2026 - Bellevue Gold Project Adds SEK 350 Million Underground Fleet

Barminco placed a major Sandvik order for loaders, trucks and drill rigs for Bellevue Gold in Western Australia, with deliveries running into 2027.

July 2026 - Mexican Contractor CoMinVi Orders SEK 340 Million Fleet

Sandvik secured another major underground order covering loaders, trucks and drill rigs across several CoMinVi contract-mining sites in Mexico, with deliveries continuing through 2028.

Strategic Takeaways

Electric Vehicle Adoption Will Be Driven by Mine Economics, Not ESG Alone

The strongest argument for underground electrification is increasingly operational. Lower heat and reduced diesel exhaust can reduce ventilation requirements, while high drivetrain torque can improve ramp performance. Mines will move faster toward electric fleets where these savings offset the additional battery and infrastructure investment.

Loading and Haulage Will Remain the Largest Revenue Pool

LHDs and underground trucks directly determine how efficiently broken ore moves through a mine. They also carry the largest engines and therefore create the greatest potential gains from electrification, automation and regenerative braking.

Copper Is Becoming the Most Important Long-Term Fleet Catalyst

Copper demand is increasing while supply remains constrained. Underground expansions and deeper projects are likely to form an increasingly important part of new supply, creating demand for high-productivity underground fleets.

Charging Architecture Will Become a Major Procurement Decision

Sandvik's battery swapping, Caterpillar's onboard fast charging, Komatsu's ground-level swap and Epiroc's charging/trolley approaches demonstrate that the industry has not selected one universal energy architecture. Mine geometry and haul-cycle design will determine which approach creates the lowest operational cost.

Automation Will Increasingly Be Purchased with the Machine

Recent Sandvik fleet contracts already bundle AutoMine and digital monitoring with trucks, loaders and drills. This suggests automation is moving from an optional technology project toward a normal part of fleet procurement.

Aftermarket Revenue Will Grow with Fleet Sophistication

Battery systems, power electronics, sensors, software, chargers and autonomous control increase the number of specialized systems requiring support throughout the vehicle life. This strengthens recurring service, component and digital-subscription opportunities.

Mixed Fleets Will Remain Normal Through Much of the Forecast Period

Few mines will replace every diesel asset simultaneously. Battery-electric, diesel-electric, cable-electric and conventional diesel vehicles will coexist as operators electrify the duty cycles offering the strongest financial return first.

Market Restraints

Battery-electric vehicles still require greater initial investment and energy-infrastructure planning than conventional diesel equipment.

Mines need sufficient electrical capacity underground, charger placement, battery-management procedures and trained maintenance personnel.

Battery availability can also affect utilization if charging or battery swapping is poorly integrated into the haul cycle.

Diesel retains an advantage in mines where vehicles travel unpredictable routes or operate for long periods without practical access to electrical infrastructure.

Autonomous systems face another constraint: communications.

Underground rock limits conventional wireless coverage. Reliable automation can therefore require LTE, Wi-Fi, private networks or other connectivity infrastructure throughout production areas.

Older mines may need substantial upgrades before autonomous vehicles can achieve their full productivity potential.

Finally, vehicle standardization remains limited.

Different manufacturers use different battery, charging and automation architectures, potentially increasing vendor dependency as fleets electrify.

Strategic Outlook 2026-2035

The underground mining vehicles market is moving toward a more sophisticated fleet model.

The initial equipment purchase will remain important.

But the most competitive systems will increasingly be those capable of demonstrating lower cost per tonne over the full production cycle.

That gives electrification an unusually strong position underground.

A battery loader can affect vehicle energy cost, mine ventilation, heat load, operator environment and production rate simultaneously.

Automation adds another dimension by changing how many operating hours can be extracted from the fleet and where personnel need to be located.

The market is unlikely to become fully battery-electric by 2035.

Instead, different technologies will dominate different duty cycles.

Battery LHDs are likely to expand rapidly.

Trolley-assisted trucks can become attractive on long ramps.

Cable-electric equipment can remain effective in relatively fixed production areas.

Diesel-electric vehicles provide an intermediate option where full battery infrastructure is not yet practical.

Conventional diesel will continue serving mines where operational flexibility outweighs the advantages of electrification.

The biggest opportunity therefore does not belong automatically to the company offering the largest battery.

It belongs to suppliers capable of matching vehicle, power system, automation, charging strategy and maintenance model to the economics of the individual mine.

Key Players

The global underground mining vehicles competitive landscape includes Sandvik AB, Epiroc AB, Caterpillar Inc., Komatsu Ltd., Normet Group, MacLean Engineering, Aramine, Getman Corporation, Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik, Fermel, BEML, Eimco Elecon, J.H. Fletcher, Kovatera and other specialized underground vehicle manufacturers.

Sandvik and Epiroc currently hold particularly strong positions in high-productivity underground load-and-haul equipment, automation and battery-electric technology. Caterpillar combines a large conventional underground fleet with battery-electric and diesel-electric transition products, while Komatsu is expanding its underground hard-rock electrification portfolio following the growth of its LHD and charging platform.

Detailed Company Profiles

Sandvik - Building Underground Fleet Value Around Battery Swapping and Automation

Sandvik has one of the strongest current positions in underground loaders, haul trucks, drilling equipment and mine automation.

Its competitive strategy increasingly combines physical equipment with AutoMine, OptiMine, monitoring, aftermarket services and electrification.

The Toro LH518iB provides a useful benchmark for Sandvik's battery strategy. The loader has an 18-tonne tramming capacity and uses an LFP-based battery-electric drivetrain capable of delivering 540 kW of continuous power. It is designed for AutoMine integration and uses regenerative braking.

Sandvik differentiates its battery system through rapid swapping. AutoSwap and AutoConnect allow the operator to exchange a depleted battery for a charged unit in around five minutes without leaving the cab.

The company's 2026 order book demonstrates substantial commercial strength.

Major underground contracts include around SEK 420 million at Cowal Gold, SEK 650 million at Khoemacau Copper, SEK 350 million at Bellevue Gold and SEK 340 million from CoMinVi in Mexico.

The Khoemacau order is especially important because AutoMine and remote monitoring are included alongside loaders, trucks and drills.

Sandvik is therefore moving from selling individual underground machines toward supplying integrated production systems with recurring digital and service revenue.

Epiroc - Turning Underground Electrification into Measured Operating Performance

Epiroc has built one of the industry's broadest underground electrification portfolios across Scooptram loaders, Minetruck haulage vehicles and electric drilling and ground-support equipment.

By the end of 2025, Epiroc reported more than 600 electric drill rigs, loaders and mining trucks, 40 mines that had purchased its BEVs, and repeat purchases from more than 40% of operating BEV customers.

Its competitive differentiation increasingly comes from demonstrating measurable mine-level economics.

At South Africa's Black Rock mine, Epiroc reports its battery fleet increased tonnes per hour by 11%, reduced ventilation needs by 42% and lowered energy costs by 18% compared with diesel equipment.

At Boliden's Rävliden operation in Sweden, the MT42 SG Trolley project increased productivity by 23% and ramp speed by 50% while reducing maintenance costs 25% and diesel use 80%, according to Epiroc.

The company is also broadening its battery portfolio. The Scooptram ST10 G is a 10-tonne battery loader designed for narrower drifts, with up to four hours of runtime and CCS-standard opportunity charging.

Epiroc's April 2026 US$20 million Mopani Copper Mines order strengthens its position in Africa, while its Q1 2026 orders grew 23% organically across the business, with automation features included in many orders.

This combination of electric machines, infrastructure, automation and aftermarket services positions Epiroc strongly where mines want to electrify entire operating processes rather than purchase isolated BEVs.

Caterpillar - Offering Battery Electric Without Abandoning High-Efficiency Diesel

Caterpillar's underground strategy differs from pure electrification approaches because it offers operators several stages of the energy transition.

The R1700 XE battery-electric LHD is the company's flagship underground BEV. It carries a 15-tonne payload, produces zero exhaust emissions underground and keeps the battery onboard rather than requiring swapping.

Using two Cat MEC500 mobile chargers, Caterpillar states that the loader can recharge in less than 20 minutes. The vehicle also includes Autodig and is factory-ready for autonomous operation.

Alongside full battery electrification, Caterpillar offers the R2900 XE diesel-electric LHD. The 18.5-tonne loader uses an electric-drive architecture powered by a Stage V-compatible Cat C15 engine. Caterpillar reports more than 31% improved fuel efficiency compared with the R2900G.

Its underground truck portfolio includes the AD30, AD45 and AD63, allowing Caterpillar to serve mines that are not yet ready to electrify haulage completely.

Caterpillar has also demonstrated a battery-electric underground truck prototype developed with Newmont, intended to complement the R1700 XE and form a fully electric underground load-and-haul system.

This multi-pathway strategy can be attractive to operators planning gradual fleet conversion rather than immediate full electrification.

Komatsu - Targeting Narrow-Vein Electrification and Lower Charging-Infrastructure Complexity

Komatsu is expanding its underground hard-rock presence through both conventional and electric LHD platforms.

The WX04B is Komatsu's first battery-electric underground LHD and is specifically designed for narrow-vein mining.

It provides a 4-tonne tramming capacity and uses a ground-level battery-change system intended to eliminate the overhead lifting infrastructure required by some battery-swap designs.

The platform incorporates battery thermal management and shares components and structures with the established WX04 diesel model, allowing Komatsu to build its battery offering on an existing mechanical architecture.

Komatsu has paired the WX04B with an OEM-agnostic 150 kW underground charger designed to operate across mine supply voltages from 400 VAC to 1,000 VAC without an external transformer. The original launch specification stated around a two-hour recharge cycle.

Its current underground technology portfolio also includes the WX14LPE, a 14-tonne tethered-electric LHD intended for continuous high-productivity operation with zero local emissions.

Komatsu's competitive opportunity lies in offering mines several electrification options rather than assuming battery swapping or onboard charging will fit every application.

Its narrow-vein positioning is especially relevant to smaller gold and polymetallic mines where full-sized underground loaders cannot operate efficiently.