DB Schenker puts e-Actros to the test

German logistics firm DB Schenker has received a battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros for testing.

The 25-tonne truck will be used for the delivery of general cargo and palletised goods in the city centre of Leipzig.

The eActros has a range of around 200km and will cover about 100km daily.

The truck will be charged at night on  DB Schenker’s premises in the north of the city.

DB Schenker has also been operating five Fuso eCanter light-duty trucks in Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Paris for over a year.

The eActros already underwent a first test phase with a customer in the Netherlands earlier this month.

It now marks the roll-out for more of the pure electric trucks to customers in Germany and Belgium.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks fleet customer manager Rico Claassen says the eActros “has been proving its worth” since its 2018 release to customers for the first stage of testing.

“The test customers in the second phase are also using the eActros for tasks that would otherwise be performed by conventional trucks.

“The body variants range from refrigerated and dry boxes to tarpaulins. We are delighted that DB Schenker, as a pioneer for alternative drive systems in transport logistics, is now also electrifying the city centre of Leipzig with the eActros,” Claassen says.

DB Schenker aims for green logistics

DB Schenker has more than 30,000 vehicles in its fleet and has set a goal of becoming the world’s leading provider of green logistics, senior vice president head of network and line haul management Wolfgang Janda says.

“Because our success is based not only on our reliable logistics services, but also on our commitment to society and the environment,” Janda says.

“This naturally includes a vehicle mix with alternative drive systems. The light-duty Fuso eCanter from Daimler Trucks has already proven its suitability for everyday use in various cities.

“We are now looking forward to seeing how the eActros performs in Leipzig city centre. As market leader in Europe for land transport, we have to assume a pioneering role from this position alone.”

First phase findings:

 The eActros’ 200km range has proven to realistic with all load, route and topography variations, Daimler says.

The cooling system for the cargo and the air-conditioning system – both electrically operated – functioned without any limitations in both extreme heat and winter conditions, it says.

“Drivers are very pleased with the continuous availability of torque across the entire speed range.

“They also particularly mentioned the truck’s quietness in operation and the pleasant, smooth driving experience. Furthermore, if the truck is driven with foresight, electrical energy can be recovered through recuperation, i.e., motor braking. It is then rarely necessary to use the brake pedal,” the company says.

The eActros has two electric motors close to the rear-axle wheel hubs which provide drive with an output of 126kW each and a maximum torque of 485Nm each.

This results in 11,000Nm each after the transmission ratio, providing a performance equivalent to that of a conventional truck. Lithium-ion batteries with 240kWh supply the energy. Depending on the available charging power, the batteries can be fully charged within two hours (at 150kW).

The development and testing of heavy-duty electric trucks in distribution transport is receiving support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) and Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), as part of the Concept ELV project.