The braking system should be more economical on the trucks in harsh conditions so that is a limited number of trucks that are being used offroad / onroad and especially in the very harsh dust , grit conditions around mine sites .
Fleets for ore transport where rail is not used on mine sites also would benefit by lower labour costs via fewer services being required as cost of remote staff is always greater than in a city. Several of the mines that use ore trucks are struggling or have closed recently due to low IO price as they aren't of the same scale and don't have the same margin as those that have rail infrastructure or are better located to export facilities. Some good and bad news in that. Means there is underutilised complete trucks going cheap that could be bought and refitted to make another mine more efficient and the downside is that market for trucks used in extreme conditions just shrunk a bit.
As I have said before if ABV can't get any traction with sales or decent worldwide partners in the next 12 months it will not be worth a sausage as they will burn more cash in technology and integration into on road braking systems and they really won't have a substainable revenue to keep up with the Joneses so to speak. Very long lead times .
I hope they can target the right areas and get some orders done so their product is out there. # months is bugger all in the big picture so I hope to see announced the trial is being extended and 3 months basically no wear would be evident . ABV need to be smart deal makers and ensure that trials are contracted upon success to become supply agreements otherwise companies will just keep trialing them forever. Long haul bus companies are another market that should see benefit from the product but harder fittment area as not a lot of build is done is Australia.
Light rail should be a target market as well. Quiet brakes in city areas are a important sales point and low maintenance and long service life with so much braking done electronically by regeneration which very important along with safety interlocks. Would enable lighter rail wheels and different designs as no heat in the wheels unlike now.
It will always happen slower than i want but they really need to get moving before opportunity disappears and patents get old.
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