Ajinkya Naik, Dassault Systèmes – Industry Process Consultant
The mining industry accounts for 4 percent to 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, 11 percent of global energy consumption, and 7 percent to 9 percent of global CO₂ emissions, including mining and steel production. To meet sustainability mandates, decarbonisation is essential, and fleet electrification is a key solution for reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency.
Fleet electrification goes beyond adopting electric vehicles; it requires modernising operations and integrating new systems. Mining companies benefit through lower costs, reduced environmental impact, improved worker safety, and enhanced performance. With regulatory deadlines looming, delays could lead to non-compliance. Simulation tools help accelerate electrification while minimising costs and environmental impact.
How simulation helps accelerate fleet electrification
Advanced simulation tools, such as Dassault Systèmes’ Dymola, reduce physical trials, optimize fleet performance, and mitigate risks. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform enhances collaboration, scalability, and workflow integration. A recommended approach includes:
- Running simulations to model different scenarios.
- Using data-driven planning for strategic decision-making.
- Engaging stakeholders to align business objectives.
- Refining strategies for successful electrification.
- Operational simulations play a critical role in optimizing fleet performance.
By using Dymola, a robust simulation tool, mining organisations can simulate outcomes for key factors such as battery state of charge, fuel levels, charging locations, operational costs, emissions, tonnage utilisation, and infrastructure impact.
For example, a one-year simulation can reveal insights into optimal shift schedules, downtime reduction, and infrastructure placement to maximise efficiency.
Dymola: Robust solution for rapid fleet electrification
Dymola models complex systems with precision, integrating mechanical, electrical, and thermal components for multi-engineering capabilities. Key advantages include:
- An intuitive user interface for easy customisation.
- Seamless integration with tools like Python and Simulink.
- Real-time 3D animations for visualising system performance.
- Object-oriented modeling with scalability and advanced testing options, including hardware-in-the-loop simulations.
A major advantage of Dymola is its drag-and-drop libraries, which contain pre-built components like electric motors, batteries, and drive cycles. This allows engineers to quickly build and test fleet models without starting from scratch.
Creating a framework for fleet electrification
Companies transitioning to fleet electrification can define their decarbonisation strategy using the following structure:
- Vision: Enable mining operations to simulate and optimise fleet performance under real-world conditions.
- Mission: Leverage advanced tools like Dymola to create high-fidelity models that drive smarter decisions and improve energy efficiency.
- Objectives:
- Simulate vehicle behaviours for electric, hybrid, and diesel fleets.
- Assess energy consumption to extend battery life.
- Support scalable modeling that adapts to evolving needs.
- Use simulation insights to refine fleet schedules and charging infrastructure.
With Dymola, mining organizations can develop high-fidelity fleet models, improve battery life projections through energy simulations, and reduce charging downtime with optimised scheduling.
Fleet optimisation: Arriving at the right strategy
Using simulation, organisations can analyse various aspects of electric truck performance, including route distances, elevation changes, terrain conditions, load types, battery capacity, motor power, and top speed. Haul route simulations assess energy consumption and battery regeneration across different operational phases. Scenario analysis helps evaluate battery capacities, charging speeds, and cost implications to determine the optimal fleet configuration.
For example, by running two iterations of simulations you can compare moderate battery capacity with fast charging versus a smaller battery with moderate charging. If the first set-up results in a 150 km range with a moderate total cost of ownership, while the second offers a 120 km range with a lower total cost, simulations can enable data-driven decisions on charging locations, route planning, and infrastructure investments.
The same methodology applies to large truck fleets. Simulations can evaluate different manufacturers’ trucks based on battery aging, capacity, range, and operational efficiency. The tool visually compares results, helping stakeholders choose configurations that balance efficiency, cost, and sustainability.
For instance, a fleet of 10 trucks can be simulated across operational stages like loading, haulage, dumping, and return, analysing energy consumption at each step and regenerative braking on downhill routes. By modeling multiple cycles, you can optimise charging station placement, shift schedules, and fleet utilisation to enhance efficiency and lower emissions.
Fleet simulations can also help identify congestion points, particularly at charging stations, and provide insights for optimising shift schedules to reduce idle time.
Mining companies can refine traffic management strategies for high-density fleet operations and use scenario testing to assess various fleet configurations, including the integration of electric, hybrid, and diesel trucks, to identify the right fleet mix.
3DEXPERIENCE platform: Scalability for sustainability
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform connects design, simulation, production, and maintenance, enabling companies to meet ESG goals, navigate regulatory changes, optimise fleet electrification strategies, and improve real-time decision-making. With a single source of truth, different departments can collaborate efficiently to streamline fleet operations and decarbonisation efforts.
The end-to-end simulation approach provides significant value by:
- Reducing risks and improving stakeholder confidence.
- Optimising charging infrastructure to minimise downtime and maximise productivity.
- Enhancing battery performance through improved cooling models.
- Driving cost efficiency by optimising energy and infrastructure requirements.
Virtual twin-as-a service: Accelerating electrification journey
Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual twin-as-a Service enables companies to rapidly electrify operations by delivering tailored virtual twin solutions based on each company’s operational environment. It allows in-house simulations for optimised performance and continuously adapts the virtual twin as the fleet evolves. Additionally, it helps train teams to maximise the use of simulation tools, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
In short, Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twin as a service facilitates an agile, data-driven approach that accelerates the journey from vision to value.
Why Dassault Systèmes?
Dassault Systèmes is a trusted partner for industries shaping the future of environmental sustainability and end-to-end digitalisation. Our solutions power 90 percent of cars worldwide, an aircraft engine every 2.5 seconds, and two-thirds of the world’s nuclear reactors.
We serve more than 275,000 customers across 11 industries — from EV innovation, where 85 percent of electric vehicles are developed using the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, to aerospace, life sciences, and beyond.
Achieve faster vision to value through rapid electrification
The benefits of fleet electrification — cost reduction, sustainability, safety, and performance — are also key to modernising mining operations. As regulatory mandates advance, timing is critical to meeting sustainability goals and modernising operations. Early adopters gain a competitive edge through incentives, market leadership, and attracting while reducing attrition.
Dymola and its simulation-driven insights accelerate the transition from vision to value by optimising fleet operations, minimising risks, and expediting sustainability achievements, driving long-term success in modern mining operations.