Electric giant gets to work

Said to be the world's biggest truck, the first production example of BelAZ's 75710 dump truck recently began work in a Siberian mine

When it comes to gigantic trucks, they don't come any bigger than BelAZ's 75710…

With an 800-ton gross vehicle mass (GVM), the mining dump truck is over 20 metres long, nearly 10 metres wide and eight metres high, while its 450 metric ton payload means it can shift the same amount of cargo as an Airbus A380.

BelAZ says the 75710 offers an extra 25 per cent more payload than truck's nearest competitor.

By way of comparison, the largest Komatsu dump truck – the 960E – has a nominal GVM of 575 tons and a payload of 327 tons.

The BelAZ behemoth is manufactured in Belarus and the first production example recently signed on at a mine in the Kuzbass region of Siberia.

While the 75710 boasts any number of jaw-dropping stats, perhaps the most surprising concerns its propulsion. The truck is in fact powered by four Siemens 1200kW electric motors, which push it along at speeds of up to 64km/h when empty.

Now before you start looking for the Olympic-pool-sized batteries required to power these motors, let us save you the effort – there aren't any. Instead, the Siemens units are powered by two generators, which are in turn powered by a 1700kW, 16-cylinder diesel engine from MTU Detroit Diesel.

According to Siemens the set-up allows mine operators to meet ever stricter environmental protection regulations while also giving the truck a means of propulsion should one of its electric motors fail. Should that indeed happen the truck can still be driven to the workshop under its own steam, so to speak, avoiding the obstruction and recovery issues of a tradition truck breakdown.

The all-wheel-drive model is fitted out with dual wheels front and rear, the eight monster tyres able to support 100 tons each.

The electric drivetrain was developed specifically for the truck and features traction control, while manoeuvrability is enhanced by the four-wheel steering system. BelAZ says the truck can handle extended longitudinal grades of up to 14 per cent and shorter grades of up to 18 per cent.

Despite its benefits, owners would be well advised to give shopping centre car parks a wide berth – reversing camera or not, the truck's 19.8-metre turning circle demands some respect!

Electric giant gets to work

Tags