Commenting on the induction of the EVs, Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said, “Our aim at Hindustan Zinc is to revolutionise underground mining, boost productivity, raise underground safety standards, and provide sustainable operations solutions. Thanks to our unwavering commitment to environmentally sustainable business and net zero emissions, we've always focused on innovative and environmentally friendly solutions. I believe the introduction of battery-electric vehicles in Hindustan Zinc’s underground mining operations will revolutionise the sector and mark a great step forward for India in terms of responsible mining.”
Speaking on the occasion, Subhasis Mohanty, Managing Director, Normet India, said, “We are pleased to partner with Hindustan Zinc to solidify our ESG commitment, by bringing into reality the first of our fleet of Normet SmartDrive BEVs in HZL underground mines. Our association has been valuable to drive common goals on sustainability and decarbonisation in the Indian mining sector, driving transformation in the underground space and building long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
Hindustan Zinc will gain considerable benefits from the adoption of Normet SmartDrive EVs, including significant HSD savings and vehicle maintenance. These SmartDrive electric vehicles are powered by 90kWH lithium-ion batteries and come equipped with myriad advanced technologies such as energy recuperation technology, hydraulic dual-circuit oil-immersed brakes to provide additional braking power, etc. The vehicles also have the advantage of zero-emission in the operating environments, considerable noise and vibration reduction associated with equipment. In addition to that, BEVs comes with high-efficiency driveline and consumes less kWh/ km compared to diesel ones.
Hindustan Zinc is a pioneer in the sector, continually deploying transformational and sustainable technologies in pursuit of sustainable mining. The introduction of the EVs serves as yet another decisive step for its sustainable and smart operations goals. Hindustan Zinc’s abiding commitment to sustainability and environmental-friendly solutions, then, puts it on the path to achieve its Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) of achieving a 0.5mn tCO2e reduction by 2025.