The Lynx electric dump truck generates more electricity than it consumes during operation. This massive vehicle, weighing in at 58 tons, was previously a diesel-powered Komatsu HD605-7 model used in a Swiss quarry. The diesel consumption of the truck ranged from 50,000 to 100,000 liters per year, emitting up to 260 tons of carbon dioxide. However, the company Kuhn has now converted the diesel-powered dump truck to an electric drive. The Lynx is currently the largest electric vehicle in the world, with a capacity of up to 65 tons of material and a battery weighing 4.5 tons with a capacity of 700 kilowatt-hours.
Despite its weight, the Lynx can handle inclines of up to 14 percent and reach a top speed of 40 km/h. However, the real innovation of the Lynx is that it generates more electricity than it consumes during operation. This is possible because the dump truck is loaded at the top of the mountain and generates CO2-neutral electricity on its way down thanks to strong recuperation. On its way back up the mountain, the vehicle does not consume all the electricity it generated because it carries less weight. However, the Lynx can only generate electricity in the summer, as it requires snow chains in the winter, which increase energy consumption.
According to a study by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), the Lynx is significantly more environmentally friendly than its diesel-powered predecessor, saving approximately 500,000 liters of diesel and 1,300 tons of CO2 emissions over a ten-year period. Despite being approximately 2.5 times more expensive than a diesel dump truck, the Lynx is a more sensible choice from an economic perspective.
