The 2026 Future Fleets Insights report shows a mining industry moving decisively toward automation, while progressing more cautiously on fleet electrification.
Survey results highlight strong confidence in load, haul and ore-transport technologies, with 98% of respondents reporting successful outcomes and most expecting investment to rise by 10-50% by 2030.
Efficiency, cost reduction and worker safety are the primary drivers of adoption, and automation is now often viewed as mature and reliable, particularly in Australia.
Electrification presents a more uneven picture. While low-emission alternatives for light vehicles are already viable, practical replacements for large surface trucks, dozers and heavy equipment remain limited due to technological readiness, infrastructure gaps and high upfront costs.
Respondents expect battery-electric haul trucks to become the industry’s top priority by 2030, but half believe infrastructure investment is insufficient.
Overall, the sector has moved beyond experimentation, focusing instead on integrated, site-wide deployment of automation and digital fleet technologies, while tackling the complex, longer-term challenge of decarbonisation.
Methodology
The Future Fleets Insights report combines findings from Mining IQ’s survey of 188 mining professionals with insights from 10 notable mine sites to show how fleet innovation is being applied in practice across the globe. These perspectives reveal how operators are deploying automation, electrification and digital fleet technologies across active operations, and what barriers persist.
Learn and discover:
- How is the use of green fleets maturing?
- Is enough being invested in fleet technology?
- How have OEMs improved their collaboration when integrating fleets?
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