The first battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 are set to undergo customer testing.
The first two test vehicles of the e-truck for long-distance haulage presented last year will be put into operation in the next few weeks by container logistics company Contargo and recycling specialist Remondis.
Contargo will use its e-truck for several months for the transportation of containers between the port of Wörth am Rhein and various loading and unloading points. The vehicle is planned to cover more than 800 kilometers a day.
Remondis will use the test vehicle in Cologne as part of the HoLa-project. The objective of HoLa is the construction and operation of a high-performance charging infrastructure for battery-electric long-distance transport.
The test vehicle for Remondis will be primarily used for the transportation of recycled raw materials and is equipped with a trailer by Kögel.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to hand over further test vehicles to customers with different use cases.
“The testing of e-trucks with customers before the start of production has proven very successful,” said Stina Fagerman, head of marketing, sales and services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
“This is why we are also relying on practical tests for the eActros 600. We are very pleased that Contargo and Remondis will be the first customers to test the eActros 600 in real operation.”
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600
The high battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt hours and a new electric drive axle developed in-house enable the e-truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging. Therefore, the eActros 600 will be able to travel more than 1,000 kilometers per day. This is made possible by intermediate charging during the legally prescribed driver breaks – even without megawatt-charging.
In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging (MCS). Customers can order a pre-installation for this. The batteries can be charged from 20 to 80% in about 30 minutes at a suitable charging station with an output of around one megawatt.
Visually, the e-truck is characterised by a fundamentally new, puristic design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape. When it comes to profitability for fleet operators, the electric truck is intended to set new standards, over the long-term replacing the majority of diesel trucks in the important long-haul transport segment. The core of Mercedes-Benz Trucks‘ concept for battery-electric long-distance transport is to offer customers a holistic solution consisting of vehicle technology, consulting, charging infrastructure and services.
The start of series production is planned for the end of 2024. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 right from market launch, offering customers further possible applications for all-electric transport.
