IDTechEx Unpacks the Electrification of CAM Machines

­The battery market for electric construction, agriculture, and mining (CAM) machines is expected to reach US$8 billion by 2034. Electric CAM machines promise health, environmental, and productivity benefits, while also acting as long-term financial investments for companies. These machines come in a number of shapes, sizes, and weights, and require a wide variety of batteries to suit their many functions. IDTechEx’s latest report, “Battery Markets in Construction, Agriculture & Mining Machines 2024-2034”, explores options for different battery chemistries in accordance with the requirements of various machines.

The ‘whys’ behind the rise of electrification

Local air quality improvements, lowered greenhouse gas emissions, safer work environments, and less pollutants are all advantages of CAM machine electrification. Despite these machines carrying high initial costs, the reduced diesel and maintenance costs over time will make them a good investment within these industries. Additionally, operators can expect further benefits, such as faster system responses, improved control, and easier operation.

Excavators, loaders, and mini excavators make up around three-quarters of the construction machine market. However, the popularity and size of large excavators (>6 tonnes) specifically means they are huge emitters of greenhouse gases. IDTechEx reports that almost half of the total emissions from construction machines come from these alone. While mini excavators may be easier to electrify, making the larger ones electric still stands as a huge goal in the hope of greatly reducing emissions. Within the mining sector, the main vehicles set for electrification include dump trucks, haul trucks, and mining light vehicles, while tractors see the most electrification within the agriculture sector.

The installation of charging infrastructure on work sites, alongside the question of whether these machines will be able to complete a full day of work on one charge, are factors to be considered before making the leap from engine to electric. There is also limited push from governments to make these changes, meaning a lack of subsidies and support may make initial costs a bit too high.

Battery types and requirements for CAM machines

Power demands vary from machine to machine, meaning batteries won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution. Batteries need to be faster charging for CAM machines than everyday electric cars to minimize downtime and ensure they can complete their work promptly. Cells that can be charged quickly might ordinarily have reduced energy density, but with technologies including high silicon content anodes and solid-state electrolytes, higher energy density could be available alongside faster charging capabilities.

With data collected from over 200 electric CAM machines across different markets, IDTechEx provides suggestions for which battery types would be best suited to various machines, determined by how much energy per tonne per hour each machine uses. LFP and NMC chemistries are the main battery types currently in use as they have been popular within the automotive industry. According to IDTechEx’s latest batteries for CAM machines report, tractors are the most energy-intensive machines, using around 50% more energy per hour than most other CAM machines; as such, they require much larger batteries than something like a mining light vehicle.

New battery chemistries such as lithium titanate (LTO) could be a good option for ensuring fast charging doesn’t lead to faster wearing or decreased longevity. The introduction of new anode materials, such as LTO, could see an electric machine lasting more than 10,000 cycles on one battery, without replacement. By contrast, leading NMC and LFP technologies offer up to ~5,000 cycles before reaching their end of life. Having a 10,000+ cycle battery would mean huge cost and convenience advantages for companies employing them.

Solid-state batteries for increased safety

Solid electrolytes may improve the safety of a cell, which is critical for electric CAM machines, so solid-state batteries could be another promising future option. This could be a crucial development for machines working underground or indoors, such as underground loaders or mini excavators. Solid-state batteries could also provide an increased energy density so that machines can more comfortably fulfill their duty cycle demands. This battery chemistry, however, comes with challenges during the manufacturing process, such as ensuring high-quality electrolytes are thin enough, as well as maintaining a good connection between electrolytes and electrodes.

IDTechEx’s report covers 10 different future battery options for CAM machines, as well as exploring which chemistries are available in different regions. While Europe and North America most commonly use NMC, LFP is more common in China, with Europe and China predicted to see LTO batteries employed first. With the wide variety of weights, sizes, and use cases of CAM machines, LFP and NMC might no longer be the best options, with emerging technologies, including silicon anode, solid-state, and sodium-ion, predicted to be amongst the best. The report includes details on product offerings from over 40 different pack manufacturers and assemblers, and tables that benchmark products against different performance indicators.

For more information, please see the IDTechEx report, “Battery Markets in Construction, Agriculture & Mining Machines 2024-2034”.