MASSIVE 600 ton Liebherr mining excavator converted from diesel to electric

In a move the company is calling breakthrough initiative, Lloyds Metals and Energy have successfully converted one of their massive, 650-ton class Liebherr R 996 excavators from diesel power to fully electric for the first time – and it won’t be the last!

Long time readers might remember that Liebherr began offering diesel-to-electric conversion options for its ultra massive excavators back in 2024, when the company debuted a converted R 9400 mining excavator at Frotescue’s Christmas Creek mining operation in Western Australia. But, while that program was led by Liebherr itself, this conversion has been executed entirely by Lloyds in-house engineering and technology teams, and involved a complete redesign of the big excavator’s power architecture, control, and safety systems.

The company believes that large-scale equipment electrification projects like this will help it to both eliminate of thousands of tons of harmful carbon emissions annually, while also delivering substantial operational cost savings and reduced dependency on diesel.

“This landmark achievement, is not just about electrifying a machine,” explains B. Prabhakaran, Managing Director, Lloyds Metals and Energy. “(It) is about reimagining the future of mining.  At LMEL, we believe that responsible mining and sustainability must go hand in hand. This achievement demonstrates India’s capability to deliver world-class, zero-emission solutions in even the most complex and heavy-duty environments. We are proud to contribute to a future where mining is both productive and environmentally responsible.”