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Interior of the Rokion R400

Originally Posted March 18th, 2026

Battery Cell Evolution

Rokion has been designing and manufacturing battery electric vehicles since 2010. In that time, we’ve continuously tested new battery technology to find the safest, most effective battery module for use in the mining industry. The following are some important factors that our team takes into consideration during research and development:

  • Cycle Life – A battery’s cycle life is the number of times it can be charged and discharged before losing ~20% of its original battery capacity. Since rolling out our first electric vehicles in 2010, battery cycle life in Rokion equipment has increased by 700%.
  • Operating Temperature – The operating temperature range of a battery cell is especially important underground, where the ambient temperature regularly exceeds 30° Celsius.
  • Cell Mass – A battery cell’s mass affects the weight of the overall battery module and can be a limiting factor with unstable ground conditions.
  • Cell Capacity – Cell capacity is the amount of electrical charge the battery cell can store and deliver.
  • Specific Energy – A cell’s specific energy refers to its ability to store energy in relation to its mass.
  • Specific Power – A cell’s specific power refers to its ability to deliver power in relation to its mass. o Present day Rokion battery cells have a ~40% higher specific energy and specific power than those used in our 2010 equipment.

    • Battery Cell Comparison

    The factors listed above, along with environmental and maintenance considerations, greatly affect the cost of operating an electric vehicle. Based on data Rokion has collected across over 200 battery powered trucks, the average operating cost of a Rokion truck has reduced from $9.12 (in 2010) to just $0.84 per kilowatt-hour (from 2023 to present day).

    Battery Operating Cost Comparison

    Battery technology has made incredible strides since designing our first vehicles in 2010, and there are no signs of it slowing down. As battery technology continues to evolve, Rokion will continue researching ways to make our battery powered trucks safer and more efficient.