Following the market launch of the eActros electric truck for heavy-duty distribution transport in 2021, Mercedes-Benz Trucks are pressing ahead with the introduction of additional battery-electric models for 2022 and the coming years.
eActros LongHaul
For the long-haul segment the eActros LongHaul, which will offer a range of around 310 miles (500km), is scheduled to be ready for series production in 2024. This electric vehicle (EV) will also enable high-performance charging known as megawatt charging to speed up charge times and reduce downtimes.
The first prototypes of the 40-ton truck are already undergoing internal tests and Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ engineers are planning to start trials of this electric truck on public roads this year.
eActros and eEconic
Mercedes-Benz Trucks is also preparing additional variants of the eActros. These include the eActros 300 and the eActros 400 models. The brand’s new eEconic truck, which is designed for municipal use, is scheduled to roll off the production line as early as July, as the second all-electric series production vehicle.
The all-electric eEconic will see its trade show premiere on May 30 at IFAT Show, the world’s leading trade show for environmental management and technologies, in Munich.
The eEconic is ideal for urban environments in the early morning hours thanks to its lower noise emissions. Since May 2022, FES Frankfurter Entsorgung Waste Management and Service GmbH have been using a near-series eEconic in Frankfurt am Main for municipal waste collection.
Wörth Emobility Event
The goal of Mercedes-Benz Trucks is to increase the share of locally CO2-neutral new vehicles in Europe to more than 50 percent by 2030. To further introduce truck customers from all over Europe to emobility, the manufacturer is organising an event at its Wörth site starting in early June.
Experts from Mercedes-Benz Trucks will be on hand to inform 1,000 participants about the main aspects of emobility, from infrastructure and services to electric models. In addition, customers will have the opportunity to drive the eActros 300 on demanding routes and with realistic payloads.
Karin Rådström, Mercedes-Benz Trucks CEO, said: “The tremendous interest in our eActros driving event in Wörth is further proof of the popularity emobility is already gaining with customers.
“Customers are thus sending a strong signal to all stakeholders to combine efforts and quickly put more and more electric trucks on the road, expand the charging infrastructure and create cost parity.”
Charging Infrastructure Partners
Mercedes-Benz Trucks is working together with Siemens Smart Infrastructure, ENGIE and EVBox Group for in depot charging. In terms of public charging for long-distance transport, Daimler Truck, TRATON GROUP and the Volvo Group have signed a binding agreement to establish a joint venture.
This collaboration will provide the development and operation of a public, high-performance charging network for battery-electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches in Europe. The charging network of these three parties will be available to fleet operators in Europe regardless of brand.
High-Performance Charging in Long-Haul Truck Transport” (HoLa)
The goal of the High-Performance Charging in Long-Haul Truck Transport (HoLa) project, is to plan, erect and operate a select high-performance charging infrastructure for battery-electric long-haul truck transport.
Two high-performance charging points with the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) are to be erected at each of four locations in Germany and tested in real-world applications. Various other consortium partners from industry and research are involved in the project.
Ultimate goal: CO2-Neutral Transport on the Road by 2050
Daimler Truck’s ambition is to only offer new vehicles in Europe, Japan, and North America that are CO2-neutral in operation by 2039. The two battery-electric models, Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and Mercedes-Benz eActros, have already been rolling off the assembly line in series production since 2018 and 2021 respectively.
The Mercedes-Benz eEconic, the FUSO eCanter and the Freightliner eCascadia will follow later this year, and additional locally CO2-neutral vehicles are already planned.
In the second half of this decade, the company plans to further supplement its range of vehicles with series-produced vehicles powered by hydrogen-based fuel cells. Putting CO2-neutral transportation on the road by 2050 is the ultimate goal.
