Productivity, fuel efficiency and uptime are three important parameters on which a truck is judged. These three parameters are even more important in the mining sector. A simple definition of productivity is: work carried out in as much little time as possible. However in the trucking industry many confuse and also mix it with only body capacity giving a little less weightage to uptime.
The Eicher Pro 8031XM is designed keeping in mind these three parameters. “First of all, the vehicle comes with a 16 cub m and 18 cub m rock body and also for the first time in this segment, with exhaust heated body available in both the 16 and 18 cubic capacities. For coal transportation we also have a 23 cub m boxy body. This addresses the concerns related to load carrying capacities. Second, it is powered by a 7.7 litre VEDX8 engine that delivers a staggering 330 hp at 1200 Nm torque, enabling power on demand required for efficient mining operations,” reveals Mr. Siddharth Kirtane, Head – Sales and Marketing, Value Trucks, Mining Business.
The vehicle also offers a wide range of speed to get the right torque from the start, because of which the Eicher Pro 8031 XM gives a good speed average. A wide economic speed range of 900 – 1600 rpm helps to get the maximum fuel efficiency. The manual synchronized 9-speed gear box with 8 forward, 1 crawler and 1 reverse gear ensures best speed as well as power at any required time and load condition.
“The well-synchronised driveline is designed for superior fuel efficiency, delivering a peak torque of 1200 Nm over a wide range of 1200 to 1650 rpm. It ensures that the driver gets the required torque right from the start and continues to stay throughout, resulting in overall superior performance and fuel efficiency,” avers Kirtane.
Basic yet advanced
While the new Eicher Pro 8031XM addresses the basics like fuel efficiency and torque it also comes with a unique ‘Fuel Coaching’ feature that further enhances the fuel efficiency by providing real time information to drivers, guiding them to drive in the most optimised gear to achieve superior fuel efficiency.
“Fuel contributes to almost half of the cost in transport, be it mining or on road. In mining sometimes it constitutes 55 or 60 per cent and we at Eicher have always stood for fuel efficiency. It is still measured in litres per hour instead of km per litre, but clients do understand that if they are transporting more they are going to burn more fuel. The fuel gauge gives indication to the driver about how is he driving and what he should do to drive better. Additionally it also gives an indication whether the fuel consumption is good or bad,” explains Mr. Kirtane.
The third aspect regarding the uptime is delivered through a rugged body and chassis in order to help an operator fulfill his production and fuel consumption ambition with strong performance. “The new Eicher Pro 8031 XM has a high strength steel strong and flexible chassis. The chassis frame is further reinforced with a 5 mm thick inner liner, which runs from the end of the engine to the end of the frame, giving it that extra strength required for mining operations,” beams Kirtane.
The all-steel welded construction low CG body design has given the vehicle the required rigidity. The reinforced tipper body with high tensile wear-resistant steel and rock breakers further strengthens the body for longer life. It is because of such attention to application that the first 15 trucks of the 8000 series that Eicher has sold and that completed 12 months of running in the mines, have performed on an average of 7200 engine hours which means an uptime of almost 97 per cent.
“One of the trucks has reported an engine hours of 7399 going through the extreme heat of central India,” beams the Head Sales and Marketing.
Eicher Truck and Bus has sold around 300 trucks of the Pro 8000 series so far. All the necessary aspects have been taken care of the truck to make it 100 per cent DGMS (Directorate General of mines Safety) compliant. The heavy duty rear axle with high rear axle ratio (6.37:1) helps in better traction. Full differential lock on axles and wheels prevent the vehicle from skidding on slippery roads. Anti-roll bar on the front and rear axles offer better stability on uneven roads.
Driving the difference
From the exterior the new Eicher Pro 8031XM has a polished international styled cabin. It speaks volumes of the smart character that the truck promises it to be. Tall cab along with a large windscreen and powerful headlights promises to provide a clear view for safe driving in mining sites. The strong 3-piece steel bumper ensures the much needed strength to the vehicle, as well as provides the best-in-class approach angle to negotiate arduous mining terrains. The wide windscreen and aerodynamic design makes the new Eicher Pro 8031XM stand out. Not only the cab looks strong but the roof too has the cover of the long tipper.
Mr. Kirtane says: “Made up of high strength steel this truck adheres to stringent European safety standards ECE R29 for cab front and roof test. There is also a feature called auto dipping that dips automatically if a truck comes from the opposite direction.”
When I got behind the wheels of this soon to be launched truck, I realized that it is not only the rugged, fuel-efficient truck that make profits for the operator, but also the spacious cab, easy to manoeuvre gears at reach and instrument cluster that ensures a piece of mind for the driver.
The new Eicher Pro 8031XM cab has heightened the driver comfort levels. The cabin is wide and also come with a sleeper bunk, unusual for a mining truck, but that adds to the roomy space in the cabin. “The air-conditioned 2.5 m wide cab is built with superior quality interiors, driver-friendly instrument panel and an ergonomic seat for stress-free driving,” adds Mr. Kirtane. However, what also caught my attention was the well-designed side mirrors, boot space both in the door adjacent to the driver as well as near the gears along with a blind spot mirror.
As I turn on the ignition and put the truck in the first gear and move it a little further, I get a tortoise (green) signal indicating that I need to go up the gear since the truck had very little load. I could easily shift gears as I moved up the speed from 2nd, 3rd and 4th to go up to even the top gear. The S-Cam, dual-circuit, air-actuated drum brakes with automatic slack adjuster and asbestos-free brake linings and ABS as standard feature get to work as soon as you push the brake pedal slightly. “The 12×20 cross-ply mining tyres also ensure better traction of the vehicle on mining roads, while carrying loads. It also helps in improving the ground clearance,” informs Mr. Kirtane.
One of the outstanding features along with all the basics is the in-built telematics system the Eicher Live. It offers access to near-real time information and analysis of the tipper performance. “The information can help customers to constantly monitor their tippers and drivers for better control of the fleet and take decisions efficiently to improve fuel management for higher profits,” explains Kirtane.
Eicher Live comes with Fuel Management Services, which gives accurate information on fuel consumption of each vehicle that can be traced to individual driver, thereby allowing customers in identifying the potential improvement in driving behaviour. It also enables customers to monitor fuel consumption with detailed information on different driving modes, like drive and idle, thereby providing an opportunity to improve overall operational efficiency. “Not just information, we offer customized solutions based on the data that we get and tie it up with the customer in aspects like driver training, spare maintenance programme, etc.,” concludes Mr. Kirtane.
In a nutshell, the new Eicher Pro 8031 XM is suited for a variety of mining applications and operating conditions in the mines, overburden or coal transportation suitable for both flat roads or gradients and long leads or short leads. Build on the Volvo Group’s Asia Truck platform the truck has the premium quality of Volvo at a price point of Eicher taking the Eicher Trucks brand into the range of 300 hp plus range.