Huawei autonomous mining trucks are now operational at the Yimin open-pit mine in Inner Mongolia. Huawei partnered with China Huaneng, XCMG, and State Grid Smart Internet of Vehicles to deploy a fleet of 100 electric, autonomous trucks. This rollout marks a key milestone in China’s mission to modernize coal mining.
At the core of this innovation is Huawei’s 5G-Advanced (5G-A) network. These trucks can transport up to 90 metric tons and perform reliably even in temperatures as low as –40°C. Since they have no driver cabins, each truck stores 568 kWh of energy for efficient, zero-carbon performance.
Meanwhile, Huawei’s Commercial Vehicle Autonomous Driving Cloud Service (CVADCS) coordinates fleet activity. It leverages real-time mapping, adaptive AI, and collaborative systems to streamline operations. As a result, the trucks navigate rugged terrain, avoid delays, and minimize energy waste without human input.
Moreover, Huawei’s 5G-A technology ensures seamless control. With 500 Mbps uplink speeds and 20 ms latency, it supports live video streaming and real-time fleet management. Since fiber optics aren’t practical in this harsh environment, Huawei and China Mobile Inner Mongolia used 3CC carrier aggregation to ensure network coverage.
According to Huawei Cloud CEO Zhang Ping’an, the Yimin project proves that 5G, cloud, AI, and clean energy can transform traditional industries. This directly supports national goals for greener, more intelligent mining.
In fact, coal remains China’s main energy source. In 2024, the country produced over half of the world’s coal and led in imports. Therefore, smarter coal production is crucial to reducing emissions while maintaining energy security. The Huawei autonomous mining trucks are a central part of that transition.
Inner Mongolia, which produced a quarter of China’s coal last year, leads this shift. By the end of 2024, 344 autonomous trucks operated across 43 mines. Additionally, over 200 sites in the region had adopted intelligent mining technologies, creating an ideal testbed for innovation.
Looking ahead, China’s fleet of autonomous trucks is projected to exceed 5,000 units by the end of 2025 and 10,000 by 2026. As a result, coal producers are quickly replacing diesel vehicles with electric, AI-driven alternatives.
Li Shuxue, chairman of Huaneng Inner Mongolia Eastern Energy, confirmed this strategic direction. He reiterated the company’s pledge to build safer, cleaner, and more intelligent mining systems using electric fleets.
In conclusion, the launch of Huawei autonomous mining trucks represents a major leap for China’s coal sector. By blending smart connectivity, AI, and sustainability, this project lays the groundwork for the next generation of mining.
