Mercedes-Benz announced some important developments for its battery-electric truck lineups, highlighted by an update on the eActros LongHaul. Internal testing has already begun with 40-tonne (44-U.S.-ton) eActros LongHaul prototypes, and Mercedes-Benz says trials of the battery-electric truck are planned for later this year. The 40-t eActros features a 500-kilometre (310-mile) range and is compatible with high-performance “megawatt charging” networks to quickly recharge the long-distance truck. Mercedes-Benz is hosting a several-week event at its plant in Wörth, Germany, where customers can drive the new eActros 300 with realistic payloads to see how the vehicle handles demanding routes.
“The tremendous interest in our eActros driving event in Wörth is further proof of the popularity e-mobility is already gaining with customers,” says Mercedes-Benz Trucks CEO Karin Rådström. “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.”
Driving Electrification Forward
Series production of the eActros for heavy-duty distribution began last October; the truck is currently available in 19-t (21-U.S.-t) two-axle and 27-t (29.8-U.S.-t) three-axle variants. Both are equipped with 448-kilowatt-hour battery packs that provide a range of up to 400 km (249 mi) and a peak power output of 400 kW (544 HP). Mercedes-Benz says it’s preparing additional versions of the eActros 300 and eActros 400 and expects to begin production of the eEconic, a truck designed for municipal use, in July. The eEconic is currently being shown at IFAT, a trade fair for water, sewage, waste, and raw materials management, in Munich, Germany. The eActros LongHaul represents Mercedes-Benz’s third all-electric truck series; the truckmaker expects to start production of the eActros LongHaul in 2024.
Charging Infrastructure
As one of several major truck manufacturers participating in the High-Performance Charging in Long-Haul Truck Transport (HoLa) project, parent company Daimler Truck is working with experts like Siemens Smart Infrastructure, ENGIE, and EVBox Group to help develop a public, high-performance charging network for battery-electric vehicles like long-haul trucks and coaches. The project aims to create a charging network that will be available to all fleet operators in Europe. Two Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) will be erected at four locations in Germany to test high-performance charging in real-world applications.
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Source: Mercedes-Benz