Video: Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrates eActros world premiere

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is gearing up for series production of the eActros later this year which is the brand’s first fully-electric truck bearing the three-pointed star emblem. 

The company celebrated the announcement through a live-streamed world premiere of the heavy-duty vehicle on June 30. 

The eActros is available as a two or three-axle truck with 19 or 27 tonnes permissible gross weight.

It is equipped with either three or four battery packs, each with an energy capacity of around 105kWh. The maximum battery capacity of 420kWh enables ranges of up to 400km.

Its rigid electric axle has two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission. Both liquid-cooled motors generate a continuous output of 330kW as well as a top performance of 400kW.

The standard model of the eActros is planned to roll off the German production line in Wörth am Rhein from autumn 2021, the company says. 

Mercedes-Benz Trucks first presented the eActros as a concept vehicle for heavy-duty urban distribution at the  2016 IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover. 

Following that, practical testing of ten eActros prototypes took place in 2018 with customers in Germany and other European countries. It has since covered more than half a million kilometres on public roads. 

Decarbonisation goals

Series production of the eActros marks an important step towards the company’s goal of completely switching its European product portfolio over to electrically powered trucks by 2039. This is in line with the Paris Agreement’s aim of decarbonising the sector. 

Additionally, series production of the low-floor Mercedes-Benz eEconic truck is expected to start in 2022.

Alongside battery electric technology, it is also using hydrogen technology with its GenH2 Truck prototype currently undergoing testing and expected to launch in 2024. 

Daimler Truck AG board of management member Karin Rådström says the company is taking its environmental commitments seriously. 

“We have to acknowledge that transport is a part of the problem when it comes to climate change. At the same time, we can and we will be part of the solution.

“The eActros and its dedicated services are a big step for Mercedes-Benz Trucks and for our customers towards CO2-neutral transport,” she says. 

Mercedes-Benz Trucks sales and services head of marketing Andreas von Wallfeld says a lot was gained through the development of the eActros in partnership with customers.

“Everything that we learned from the innovation fleet is now being incorporated in series production. 

“Compared with the prototypes, several features such as range, drive power and safety have been considerably improved in the series-production model,” he says. 

Series production

The Wörth am Rhein site is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ largest truck assembly plant. Construction of a new assembly line was undertaken in recent months in preparation for eActros series production.  

In an initial step, the series-production model of the eActros will be available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Further markets will follow.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific director Andrew Assimo says the team is “very excited about groundbreaking Mercedes-Benz electric trucks and buses, including the pioneering eActros”.

“We are not yet in a position to confirm any local electric model introductions, but are certainly working towards making these exciting vehicles available in Australia and New Zealand at the appropriate time.”

Safety and digital solutions

The eActros comes equipped with the latest safety features and connectivity and also offers a range of digital solutions to assist with electric vehicle technology. 

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has developed an eco-system under the name ‘eConsulting’ which provides customers with advice and infrastructure offers. This includes route analyses, verification of any available subsidies, assistance in operative fleet integration and the optimisation of the total operating costs.

A display in the standard multimedia cockpit runs a range of digital solutions and apps and keeps the driver up-to-date on the charge level of the batteries and the remaining range, as well as the current and average energy consumption in kWh per 100 kilometres.

Due to the quiet electric drivetrain, the standard acoustic vehicle alerting system with warning noises ensures that pedestrians and cyclists can hear the electric truck better.

Other standard safety features include sideguard assist S1R and the fifth-generation active brake assist. 

Inside the cab, drivers enjoy a 10dB noise reduction in full-load operations and less vibration compared to a diesel truck.

Mercedes-Benz is also partnering with Siemens Smart Infrastructure, ENGIE and EVBox Group to help customers with the analysis of their depots to create suitable infrastructure and intelligent charging hardware and software solutions.

The charging standard used is the combined charging system (CCS). The eActros can be charged with up to 160kW. When connected to a regular 400A DC charging station, the three battery packs need a little longer than one hour to charge from 20 to 80%, the company says. To charge the eActros, a CCS combo-2 type connector is required and the charging station must support DC charging.