Displaying items by tag: electric vehicles

India: UltraTech Cement has entered a new transport service contract to deploy about 100 electric vehicles for the transportation of 75,000t/month of clinker from its cement plant Dhar Cement Works in Madhya Pradesh to its grinding unit Dhule Cement Works in Maharashtra, 200km away. This expansion aims to reduce CO₂ emissions by 17,000t/yr. The initiative follows a successful pilot launched in January 2024, in which the company deployed five electric trucks for the transport of clinker on this route, as well as the deployment of charging infrastructure and training. UltraTech is evaluating additional routes for further electric truck deployment and plans to conduct another pilot with a similar model. The company aims to increase its electric truck fleet to 500 by June 2025 as part of India's eFAST initiative.

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has introduced the first 100% electric mining truck in the quarry mining industry in Mendoza Province, according to the company. The ‘Pure Electric Mining’ truck, belonging to the XGMT brand, is reportedly set to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 225t/yr. It also claims to offer further benefits, including reduced operating costs and improved raw material homogeneity. The truck can transport up to 72t and has an energy recovery braking system, allowing the battery to be charged during braking to reduce energy consumption and improve operating efficiency.

Head of decarbonisation at Holcim Argentina, engineer Marilina Moro, said “Sustainability is at the core of our strategy, and as part of this path, we aim to reduce our impact on the planet. That means transforming each of our processes throughout the company's value chain.”

UK: Following a successful trial in mid 2024, Aggregate Industries will deploy the ‘first electric cement truck in the UK’, according to the company, with more to follow. The trucks will be based at the Cauldon cement plant, alongside the company’s existing fleet of 60 trucks. The vehicles are equipped with a 600kW motor to deliver both bulk and bagged cement. Aggregate Industries has partnered with Lomas Distribution, its contracted haulier for the UK domestic market.

Gareth Durnall, general manager at Lomas Distribution, said "We are excited to work together with Aggregate Industries in adopting sustainable practices."

Steve Curley, Aggregate Industries’ managing director of cement division, said "Introducing electric trucks in our operations marks a pivotal shift towards efficiency and sustainability and is all part of our ongoing effort to decarbonise the business and contribute to our own net zero Strategy."

Taiwan: Taiwan Transport and Storage unveiled its first electric truck, manufactured by Volvo Trucks, at a ceremony in Taipei. The unit will transport cement for Taiwan Cement, marking the first use of electric vehicles for construction material transport in Taiwan, according to the Taipei Times.

The electric truck unit will help to reduce aggregate carbon emissions by 32%, according to TTS chairman Koo Kung-yi. "We believe that Taiwanese companies can effectively reduce Category III CO₂ emissions through the use of electric commercial vehicles," Kung-yi said.

India: Sagar Cements recorded sales of US$80.5m in the third quarter of the 2024 financial year, up by 16% year-on-year from US$69.3m during the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Cement sales volumes rose by 14% year-on-year. The Hindu BusinessLine News has reported that the growth allowed Sagar Cements to reduce its net losses by 57%, to US$1.22m.

Managing director Sreekanth Reddy said “Favourable prices prevailed in our key markets. As far as EBITDA and margins are concerned, we observed a significant enhancement on a per-tonne basis, consistent with our earlier projections.” Reddy added “We anticipate this positive trend to persist in the future, supported in part by higher utilisation levels of recently-acquired units and strategic initiatives aimed at promoting the use of green power, alternative fuels and the deployment of electric trucks and wheel loaders.”

India: UltraTech Cement has deployed five electric clinker trucks at its Dhar cement plant in Madhya Pradesh. Asian News International has reported that the trucks will convey clinker to the producer’s Dhule grinding plant in Maharashtra. The company expects the trucks to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 680t/yr.

UltraTech Cement is committed to electrifying 500 vehicles across its operations by the end of June 2025.

Mexico: Cemex has reached 1000 reduced-CO₂ trucks in operation across its global cement business. This includes trucks fuelled by renewable diesel and natural gas. These efforts have reduced its global transport CO₂ emissions by 5% since 2020, in line with the group’s commitment to a 30% reduction by 2030.

Chief executive officer Fernando González said “Our net-zero transition is supported by proven and readily-available lower-carbon technologies that guarantee that we meet our short and medium-term decarbonisation commitments. At the same time, we remain at the forefront of innovation and emerging transportation technologies so we can achieve our ultimate goal of becoming a net-zero CO₂ company by 2050.”

Spain: Cemex’s venture capital unit Cemex Ventures announced the launch of its second LeapLab accelerator programme for high-potential start-ups on 30 November 2023. The programme introduces a cohort of five start-ups from around the globe, which will carry out pilot-scale tests of their technologies across 100 Cemex sites in 12 different countries. Throughout the process, experts from Cemex and partner organisations will support the work of the start-ups as mentors, pilot leaders, speakers and assistants, as well as providing business advice and support in network building. The selected start-ups are AI technology developers Introid, Mixteresting and Verusen, hybrid vehicle fuel optimisation company Movener and water monitoring specialist Waterplan.

Cemex’s executive vice president of digital and organisation development Luis Hernández said “Start-up acceleration is a key pillar of Cemex’s open innovation strategy, since the time to scale the technologies that enable us to build a better future is now. By combining the disruptive solutions and agility of start-ups with Cemex’s extensive industry networks and resources, start-up acceleration is a vehicle for tangible innovation generation.”

Thailand: China-based intelligent dumptruck supplier Waytous has partnered with Siam Cement Group (SCG), as well as Thailand Advanced Info Service, Huawei, and Zhengzhou Yutong Mining Equipment, to develop full-scope automated operating systems for limestone mines. SCG will host a study at its Saraburi limestone mine in Central Thailand. The study will use Waytous’ driverless vehicles, supported by 5G, AI, cloud computing and new battery technologies.

Waytous CEO Chen Long "We've carried out two phases of unmanned mining research for this project and found the most comprehensive, efficient, and effective unmanned solution for cement mines in Saraburi.”

Europe: The EU has awarded a Euro49.9m grant under its Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) to Taiwan Cement subsidiary Atlante. The cement group said that Atlante will use the funds to building a fast and ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network in Europe.