Mining fleets across Africa are electrifying faster than most operators expected, and the two names that dominate the conversation are the Dongfeng TZ3V and the BYD electric mining dump truck. This article compares the TZ3V 600kWh 8x4 EV truck against its BYD rival on the metrics that actually matter on a mine site: battery capacity, haul capacity, price, warranty and the parts support that keeps trucks earning instead of idling. If you are spec’ing a new rigid or building a battery-electric fleet for a copper or gold operation, the detail below will save you weeks of vendor calls.
Both trucks are battery-electric rigid dumps built for off-highway haul roads, but they target slightly different duty cycles. The TZ3V uses a 600kWh CATL LFP pack in an 8x4 chassis rated for heavy haul, while BYD’s comparable mining model pairs a similar LFP chemistry with its own blade-cell architecture. Payload, charging and local service footprint differ more than the headline battery number suggests.
| Specification | Dongfeng TZ3V | BYD electric mining dump |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 600 kWh CATL LFP | ~563 kWh LFP blade |
| Chassis / drive | 8x4 heavy rigid | 8x4 heavy rigid |
| Rated haul / GCW | up to 80 t class | up to 70 t class |
| Motor power | LvKong 510 kW peak | ~430 kW peak |
| Battery swap | 5–6 min swap capable | fixed pack, DC fast charge |
| FOB price range | $160k–180k | $175k–205k |
The TZ3V’s 600kWh pack is the larger of the two and supports both DC fast charging (20–80% in roughly 75 minutes) and a 5–6 minute battery swap at equipped mine stations. The BYD model leans on its blade-cell LFP pack with strong thermal tolerance but is typically charged rather than swapped, which suits single-shift operations better than continuous 24-hour haul cycles. On a 3 km return haul road at 80% payload, the TZ3V delivers around 8–10 round trips per charge, while the BYD manages a comparable 7–9 trips before needing a top-up.
Headline price is only part of the story. Buyers should budget the full landed and commissioned cost:
On a like-for-like 10-truck order, the TZ3V fleet typically lands $150k–250k below the BYD equivalent once freight and swap infrastructure are included, because the swap option defers the need for a large fast-charge yard.
Both brands warranty the pack for eight years, but the cycle counts differ. The TZ3V is warranted to 4,500 cycles at 70% state of health, which on a two-shift mine equals roughly 6–7 years of full daily use. BYD’s mining warranty is commonly quoted at 4,000 cycles. With LFP chemistry both packs retain usable capacity far beyond warranty end, so the real differentiator is how many swap-capable packs you cycle versus charge in place.
Parts availability decides uptime. The TZ3V is supported through the Fenghan Trading export network with a regional parts hub strategy for Africa, and common wear items (brake pads, suspension, cabin filters, motor bushes) are stocked locally. BYD’s mining support in Africa is growing but remains concentrated around a few large flagship sites, which can leave smaller operators waiting 3–6 weeks for a bespoke component. For a fleet of 5–20 trucks, the TZ3V’s broader distributor footprint is a practical advantage. See the TZ3V electric dump truck page for the full spec sheet, and read our South Africa electric truck market guide for local import and support detail.
Choose the TZ3V if you run multi-shift haul cycles, want battery-swap flexibility, and value a wider African parts network at a lower landed price. Choose the BYD if you already run BYD energy products, charge rather than swap, and operate a single large site with direct OEM backing. Both are credible electric truck platforms; the TZ3V wins on total cost and swap uptime for most mid-size African mines.
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Battery | CATL LFP 600 kWh, swap-ready architecture |
| Traction motor | LvKong permanent-magnet motor, 510 kW peak |
| Real-world range | 220 km fully loaded, duty-cycle dependent |
| Charging | DC fast charge 20-80% in 45-90 min; battery swap in 5-6 min where stations exist |
| Battery warranty | 8 years or 4,500 cycles, 70% state-of-health guarantee |
| FOB price guide | $150,000-$180,000 depending on specification and options |
Charging an electric truck is a depot discipline, not a public-network gamble. A 600 kWh pack working a 220 km day typically returns with 25 to 35 percent in reserve, so overnight demand is about 360 kWh per truck. On a 120 kW DC charger the pack climbs from 20 to 80 percent in roughly 180 minutes; on 240 kW that falls to about 90 minutes, which lets two trucks share one charger on staggered shifts.
Size the site transformer for your busiest shift plus 30 percent headroom, keep cable runs under 30 metres to limit voltage drop, and meter each charger separately so energy cost per truck stays visible. In South Africa, grid connection lead times of three to nine months are common, so apply for the connection the day you sign the truck order, not the day the ship arrives. Shaanxi Fenghan Trading includes a charger layout drawing and load calculation with every EV truck quotation, so your electrician can price the civil works before the truck lands.
A comparable diesel 8x4 dump truck burns about 0.38 litres per kilometre in mixed duty; at $0.95 per litre that is roughly $0.36 per km. The electric equivalent consumes about 1.15 kWh per km fully loaded; at an industrial tariff of $0.10 per kWh the cost is near $0.12 per km, and overnight or solar-coupled charging can push it below $0.08. Over 70,000 km a year the saving is about $17,000 per truck, before any carbon or low-emission-zone benefit.
The gap widens in stop-start duty, where regenerative braking returns 15 to 25 percent of traction energy instead of burning it as brake dust. In South Africa, where diesel quality and price both fluctuate, locking in an electricity tariff also removes a major budgeting variable from the fleet P&L.
The TZ3V has roughly one moving drivetrain part where a diesel has hundreds: no engine oil, no DPF, no turbocharger, no clutch, no multi-gear transmission service. Scheduled maintenance lands near $0.035 per km against $0.11 per km for a diesel equivalent, a saving of more than $5,000 a year at typical utilisation. Brake pads last two to three times longer because the motor does most of the deceleration.
Uptime matters more than parts cost. Fleet data from Chinese operators running the same e-axle platform shows 96 to 98 percent availability once drivers are trained, versus 92 to 94 percent for diesel trucks of the same age. Keep a small stock of filters, coolant, brake pads and 12V batteries on site; Shaanxi Fenghan Trading quotes a two-year consumables kit with every truck so the first service interval never waits on freight.
Ready to electrify your fleet? Contact Shaanxi Fenghan Trading — authorized Dongfeng EV truck exporter. WhatsApp: +86 153 1943 1311 | Email: sales@fenghan-trade.com | dongfengevtrucks.com
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