HummingbirdEV, a provider of commercial vehicle electrification systems, announced that 393 explosion-proof electric mining vehicles powered by its next-generation electric vehicle (EV) technologies under a licensing agreement with Keshi Group, the leading manufacturer and marketer of coal mining auxiliary transport technology and equipment, are currently in operation in various underground mines across China.

Changzhou Keshi Group is the leading manufacturer and marketer of coal mining auxiliary transport technology and equipment in China.

This deployment milestone is the culmination of a seven-year partnership between HummingbirdEV and Keshi Group to build, certify, and deploy the first electric mining vehicles.

The electric mining vehicles have a payload capacity ranging between 16,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs. They include HummingbirdEV’s 400v and 800v vehicle system integration platforms, vehicle management unit, battery management system, charging systems, bi-directional inverters, and battery systems accommodating up to 5C charging rates.

The hardware parts have completed explosion-proof and safety standard certifications that are required for auxiliary transportation in coal mines.

HummingbirdEV’s vertically integrated, software-driven, and modular systems enabled Keshi Group to adopt the technologies for different vehicle platforms quickly. The type of vehicles ranges from inspection and command vehicles to passenger and material-hauling trucks, and more.

The adaptability of HummingbirdEV’s systems also enabled Keshi Group to manufacture vehicles reliably on the same production lines at a fast pace and competitive cost. Mass production of explosion-proof electric mining vehicles began in 2019.

Keshi Group forecasts that it will produce a total of 1,920 electric mining vehicles by 2033, offsetting 24,493,800 liters of diesel and 61,725 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

HummingbirdEV has secured $5 million in initial funding for its Series A investment round in the form of convertible financing from Keshi Group. HummingbirdEV is seeking additional investors to include in the round for up to $15 million, which is targeted to close in Q1 2024.