Unmanned haul trucks viewed as promising business development avenue for Belarusian BelAZ

ZHODINO, 23 June (BelTA) – Unmanned haul trucks can become a promising direction for BelAZ's development, BelTA learned from Sergei Nikiforovich, Director General of OAO BelAZ – managing company of the holding company BelAZ.

A BelAZ haul truck No.5,000 with the carrying capacity of 130 tonnes solemnly rolled off the assembly line of the shop for assembling and testing of vehicles and tractor trucks. The milestone model has already found a buyer and will soon be shipped to Russia.

Sergei Nikiforovich noted: “It is a unique vehicle. One can say it is a legendary one for our enterprise. Our haul trucks are present virtually at every factory. The vehicle is quite successful and demonstrates good effectiveness. It has been polished to perfection and all the people, who have contributed to its creation, have done great.”

However, BelAZ has no intention of leaving the existing model as it is. The company will upgrade it instead. “We have already presented a hybrid truck based on the BelAZ 7513 haul truck at various expos. This vehicle boasts 100% import substitution. The hybrid system allows saving fuel and can use recuperation mode to recharge batteries while driving down a slope, including while loaded,” the executive explained.

A robotized complex has already been created on the basis of this chassis and it is being used. Haul trucks operate without an operator as part of the robotized complex. “It is another direction where we see prospects of development of our enterprise,” Sergei Nikiforovich stressed.

The Russian company, which has bought the 5,000th 130-tonne haul truck, has been a reliable partner of BelAZ for a long time. “Due to peculiarities of diamond-mining operations the company has high requirements for hardware. The haul trucks also receive additional upgrades to keep working in very low temperatures. In addition to vehicles we also offer aftersales service,” he concluded.