en.Wedoany.com Reported - SANY Heavy Industry (SANY) has launched the SKT145Ei, a pure electric unmanned mining truck that completely eliminates the cab and driver's seat, and it has already been deployed in autonomous haulage fleets at open-pit mines. The vehicle has a maximum payload of 90 tons and is equipped with an 801 kWh battery and electric motor, delivering 990 horsepower and 2,300 N·m of torque.

The highlight of this model lies not only in its electrification, but also in the fact that it is not a retrofit based on an existing cab-equipped architecture. This marks a key strategic shift, as SANY believes that traditional mining trucks encounter bottlenecks when attempting to automate platforms originally designed for cabs, additional sensors, and rearranged control systems.

The cabless design changes the sensor layout and shortens the overall vehicle length, improving maneuverability on narrow roads in open-pit mining areas. Zhang Long, head of SANY's intelligent mining solutions team, explained that traditional mining trucks, due to the limitations of their original architecture, struggle to achieve an optimal sensor and controller layout for autonomous driving, whereas this cabless platform is specifically designed for autonomous operation. On this basis, the manufacturer has rearranged the control equipment to facilitate easier technical inspections.

According to SANY, the autonomous driving system enables these vehicles to operate 24/7 on preset routes. The operational goal is to remove operators from hazardous areas and maintain a continuous haulage process in environments where equipment downtime directly impacts production. The vehicle does not operate on open roads—a distinction that defines the scope of its technological application, as the SKT145Ei is designed for closed, repetitive, and controlled routes. This logic is also consistent with automated mining projects featuring fixed routes within mines. Similar design concepts have been seen in other open-pit mining operations, such as autonomous mining trucks designed for confined sites and repetitive routes.

According to the technical specifications, the model has a payload capacity of 90 tons, a battery capacity of 801 kWh, a maximum torque of 2,300 N·m, and an electric motor output of 990 horsepower.