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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
JUNE 2017
6
HAULING – RIGID DUMP TRUCKS
T
he mechanical versus electric drive
debate has always taken centre stage
as far as rigid haulers are concerned,
particularly at the larger end of the payload
scale. The origins of diesel-electric trucks go
back many years and these were developed
as a solution to the shortcomings of early
mechanical drivelines, which suffered
reliability issues. Some original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) have found the
diesel-electric option to offer many
benefits than the conventional mechanical
option, while some have maintained
that mechanical options remain the best
driveline option.
BELAZ is one of the OEMs which maintains
that trucks from 130 tonnes (t) payload class
and above should be electrical and machines
in the 30-60 t class should be mechanically
driven. However, the Belarusian OEM also
successfully developed an electric truck of
90 t payload, and Rost Lavrenov of BELAZ
Africa, tells
Capital Equipment News
that
in this class size (90-100 t), both electric and
mechanical drive options are quite viable
depending on cost factors.
Caterpillar remains the only OEM to
offer both drive options in its different
rigid dump truck (RDT) offerings, even on
the larger payload units. The OEM says
its developments in the alternative drive
systems have always been informed by
proper monitoring and investigation to
ensure that products bring the best value
to customers. In the early years of exploring
alternatives to mechanical transmissions,
several firms opted to use DC wheel
drives, and Caterpillar was one of the first
REVISITING THE ELECTRIC
VERSUS MECHANICAL DRIVE DEBATE
In the rigid chassis truck sector,
there has long been a rivalry
between the mechanical and
electric driveline concepts,
especially at the larger end of the
payload scale. The pros and cons
of either drive system are well-
documented, but there is much more
to that, as
Munesu Shoko
plods
through the fundamentals
Liebherr believes that with fuel efficiency,
hauling productivity and operating costs high
on their list of priorities, mine operators are
particularly drawn to trucks with electrically
driven wheels powered by diesel generators,
instead of mechanical powertrains with
gearboxes and driveshafts.