Solar Synergy Fuels World’s First 5G-A Autonomous Mining Operation

In a historic move for smart and sustainable mining, China Huaneng officially launched the world’s first 5G-A enabled autonomous open-pit mine at Yimin in Inner Mongolia. Hosted by Huaneng Group and supported by Huawei, XCMG, and State Grid Smart Internet of Vehicles, the launch event marked the commercial debut of a fleet of 100 fully electric, autonomous mining trucks, showcasing the power of AI, cloud computing, and green electrification.

With the “cloud-network-vehicle-charging” architecture at its core, this fleet represents a pioneering integration of renewable-powered logistics and end-to-end automation. Every truck in the Huaneng Ruichi series is cabless, fully electric, and designed to operate in extreme weather conditions. Their batteries—568 kWh lithium iron phosphate packs—are charged via intelligent, solar-compatible infrastructure that aligns with China’s broader renewable energy transition.

The event featured key industry leaders, including Mr. Liu Feng, Vice President of the China National Coal Association and President of the China Coal Society, who highlighted the importance of leveraging ICT innovation to drive safety and efficiency in coal mining.

Huawei Cloud’s CVADCS (Commercial Vehicle Autonomous Driving Cloud Service) delivers real-time vehicle optimization, while China Mobile’s 5G-A network enables 500 Mbps uplink and sub-20ms latency—allowing precise vehicle-cloud coordination, high-definition video backhaul, and seamless smart dispatching.

This project not only accelerates industrial decarbonization through solar integration but also demonstrates how renewable energy, automation, and AI can be synthesized into a single operational platform, setting a global precedent in mining and industrial energy reform.