BHP Tests Charging Trucks While Moving in 2026-27
BHP plans a trial of Caterpillar's Dynamic Energy Transfer system to charge battery-electric haul trucks while in motion.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
BHP will trial Caterpillar's Dynamic Energy Transfer system in the 2026-27 financial year, allowing battery-electric haul trucks to charge while moving. The company is also examining dynamic charging along high-traffic haul routes to address productivity implications of electrification.
Why it matters
A theoretical 220-tonne battery-electric haul truck would need six to eight 30-minute charging stops every 24 hours, compared with a single 15-minute diesel refuelling. Dynamic charging could reduce stationary charging time as BHP works to cut diesel consumption and reach net-zero operational emissions by 2050.
A theoretical 220-tonne truck with a 3MWh battery would need six to eight 30-minute charging stops daily, potentially costing about 1,000 hauling hours per truck annually. The figures are modelled estimates, and actual productivity effects of the planned trial remain unconfirmed.
The players
BHP
BHP is a global mining company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and one of the world's largest producers of copper and iron ore.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar is a US-based manufacturer of heavy construction and mining equipment, including large haul trucks.
The details
BHP is examining dynamic charging along high-traffic haul routes, with the Caterpillar trial as a proposed test. BHP's operational emissions in the 2025-26 financial year were 33 per cent below its 2019-20 baseline, and renewables supplied 80 per cent of electricity to its operated assets globally.
Timeline
July 2026: BHP Mitsubishi Alliance moves to 100 per cent renewable electricity.
2026-27 financial year: Planned Caterpillar Dynamic Energy Transfer trial.
2030: Target of at least a 30 per cent reduction in operational emissions.
2050: Target of net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions.
Roadmap
The planned trial tests whether in-motion charging can make battery-electric haul trucks viable at mine scale, a key step in the mining sector's shift away from diesel. It builds on BHP's broader decarbonisation targets for 2030 and 2050.
If the trial succeeds, mine operators could reduce the time electric haul trucks spend stationary, improving fleet productivity. Technology adoption in Australian mining would depend on the trial results and future investment decisions.
The takeaway
Dynamic charging could be a key tool for keeping electric mining fleets productive as operators work toward lower emissions. The trial results will show whether this approach is practical at scale.
Further reading
Explore more on Electric Vehicles and how heavy industry is adapting to battery power.
