First Mode CEO Julian Soles says there is “significant immediate demand” for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) retrofit systems ahead of the company’s official Seattle factory opening, with the US plant to be scaled through 2024 for commercial deployment of units in 2025.
“The First Mode factory officially opens in February 2024 and will start production of our HEV retrofit product to meet the pre-order timelines of our early adopters,” Soles told InvestMETS.com.
The company collected top votes from nine of our 27 judges to win InvestMETS.com’s inaugural Global Mining Technology Award for best new tech/innovation.
Soles described the 40,000-square-foot factory as one of the largest clean-technology manufacturing facilities in Seattle, Washington.
“It is also designed to be a digitally-configurable, high-change velocity environment with production processes that can adjust and meet manufacturing needs across all our electrified products,” he said.
“Customer demand for our HEV retrofit solution is high because it requires no additional infrastructure changes to mine site operations, immediately reduces fuel usage and carbon emissions by up to 25%, and seamlessly feeds forward into our zero-emissions full battery EV or hydrogen fuel cell EV solution at a pace that customers control.
“There really aren’t any other product solutions out there that offer all these benefits to customers.
“We anticipate commercial deployment of our BEV retrofit solution in early 2027 and FCEV retrofit solution in 2028, particularly as the global green hydrogen economy continues to grow.
“Some customers are closer than others to deploying our zero-emissions EV solutions.
“In general, the green hydrogen economy and broader clean energy ecosystem are not yet where many need them to be to immediately convert their fleets into zero-emissions vehicles.
“Fortunately, large-scale investments – including by the Australian and US Governments – are spurring the change needed to address the climate crisis and put innovations such as our proven hydrogen fuel cell EV within reach sooner.
“Adopting our HEV solution now ensures our customers have a competitive head start.”
InvestMETS.com judges cited the scale of the market opportunity in front of manufacturers such as First Mode and the strength of the company’s value proposition, in voting.
“Climate change is the biggest challenge of our time and addressing it will require unprecedented mineral extraction,” Soles said.
“For example, approximately 10 metric tonnes of copper are needed to build a megawatt of offshore-wind electricity generation capacity.
“The supply chain fuelling the clean energy transition will not be carbon-neutral unless heavy industry, including mining, decarbonises their operations.
“The first step within First Mode’s Path to Zero emissions program, our HEV retrofit, requires no infrastructure changes to immediately reduce the truck’s fuel use and carbon emissions by up to 25%. From there, customers can build on the HEV platform, further converting their truck to our specially designed zero-emissions full battery or hydrogen fuel cell EV.
“In mine haulage, a typical ultra-class haul truck burns around one million litres of diesel fuel per year and remains in continuous operation for 10-15 years.
“Across our target geographies, about 13,000 haul trucks are in operation and release 35 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
“With a market price per unit up to US$5 million for these trucks, decommissioning it early and buying an entirely new climate-friendly truck is a non-starter for mining companies seeking to decarbonise their fleets.
“By comparison, our retrofit solutions offer a more accessible, cost-effective entry point for decarbonisation.
“Additionally, our approach leverages a uniquely integrated feed-forward design that maximises interoperability and flexibility, giving customers the option to build on our low-carbon HEV platform and progress to zero-emissions when they’re ready.”
