On August 4, the first pure electric mining truck powered by sodium-ion batteries was delivered to the Tangshan Sanyou mine in China. The vehicle is the result of a joint research and development effort between Hina Battery and Tonly Heavy Industry. Built on Tonly’s TLE120 platform, it incorporates Hina Battery’s Haixing series sodium-ion battery system, which offers a total capacity of 676 kWh and a cell energy density of 165 Wh/kg—specifications suited to short-distance, heavy-load operations in mining environments.
Hina Battery reports that the truck can fast-charge from 0 percent to 100 percent in 20 to 25 minutes, and that its battery retains a cycle life exceeding 8,000 cycles under frequent fast-charging conditions, matching the anticipated service life of the mining truck.
Sodium-ion cells also perform reliably across a broad temperature range and exhibit significantly lower capacity loss in cold climates compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. These characteristics make the electric truck particularly well-suited for open-pit mines in northern regions during winter, helping to address common range-drop issues faced by lithium-powered vehicles.
In contrast to diesel mining trucks, the electric model produces zero tailpipe emissions and operates with reduced noise levels, supporting cleaner and quieter mine operations. Following delivery, the truck will enter active service at the Tangshan Sanyou mine, where data gathered under heavy-load conditions will guide optimizations for future iterations.
In a related development, FAW Jiefang recently completed all-scenario testing of a heavy-duty truck using Hina Battery’s sodium-ion technology. It is noteworthy, however, that sodium-ion batteries currently offer lower energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) systems. Last year, Tonly’s lithium-iron phosphate variant of the TLE120 platform featured an 801 kWh battery compared to 676 kWh for the new sodium-ion model, a gap that may help explain the technology’s slower uptake in passenger vehicles.
Source: CarNewsChina (https://carnewschina.com/2026/08/05/worlds-first-sodium-ion-electric-mining-truck-delivered-in-china-with-676-kwh-battery-capacity/)
