Fortescue’s hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype, dubbed Europa, has arrived in the Pilbara to complete site-based testing.
Europa, a Liebherr T 264 haul truck, will be tested in a real-life mining environment at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek green iron project, helping to inform the company’s future fleet of zero emission haul trucks.
The truck will be refuelled with liquid hydrogen from a gaseous and liquid hydrogen plant on-site.
“It’s fantastic to have our hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype now joining its battery electric equivalent, Roadrunner, up at site,” Fortescue Metals chief executive officer Dino Otranto said.
“Europa integrates for the first time a Fortescue Zero battery into a Liebherr haul truck, marking a huge milestone in our partnership with Liebherr.
“Over the next five years we’ll be working with Liebherr to develop a fleet of zero emission haul trucks, which will be progressively deployed across our sites from 2026.”
Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS executive vice president of research and development, engineering and production Oliver Weiss said both companies are aligned in the belief that hydrogen will play an important role in supporting the mine decarbonisation.
“What we learn from this hybrid truck will significantly shape and enhance our future development strategies for zero emission haulage,” Weiss said.
“The integration of a Fortescue Zero battery into a Liebherr haul truck marks a huge milestone in the partnership between the two companies.
“It is fascinating to see how this cooperation helps to fast track our planned developments of new technology from ideas to demonstration and operation in the field.”
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