Mercedes-Benz eActros 600: This electric truck eliminates range anxiety

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Impressive baptism of fire for the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600: On the way to Transport-CH (until Saturday evening in Bern), the electric truck with 40 tonnes in its trunk covered 530 kilometers non-stop from Stuttgart (D). ) from South Tyrol to Bolzano (I). This is remarkable; especially when you consider the topography of the route (Swabian Alb, Irschenberg, Brenner).

The eActros 600 passed this stress test (heat development of the battery, load on the drivetrain) on the hills very well. The new Mercedes e-truck also makes clear that the transport industry no longer needs to worry about range anxiety when it comes to e-mobility.

Three battery packs with 621 kWh power

Power for the impressive range comes from three battery packs, each with a capacity of 207 kilowatt hours, providing a total capacity of 621 kWh. Batteries with lithium iron phosphate cell technology are used as energy storage; These batteries are so solid and durable that they can work up to 1.2 million kilometers and the battery status is still over 80 percent. What makes these batteries so suitable for truck use is that more than 95 percent of the available capacity can be used for greater range.

Of course, these batteries also need to be charged. The eActros can currently fill its energy tank with a maximum of 400 kW. As soon as a standard for megawatt charging is established, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will follow suit and offer a renewal package for the eActros. It then only takes about 30 minutes to recharge from 20 percent to 80 percent, so it fits perfectly into the forced break. Additionally, according to Mercedes-Benz Trucks, 60 percent of European customers travel less than 500 kilometers on long-distance trips. This also has an impact on the charging infrastructure required for e-truck use. Trucks can often charge batteries for the next round during loading and unloading at warehouses or container ports.

The eActros 600 is driven by two electric motors or a new electric axle with a maximum power of 816 hp (600 kW) and a continuous power of 544 hp (400 kW). Five recovery levels are available to replenish energy into the energy tank. Single pedal driving is also possible. Electrical power is required as the eActros 600 is designed for a total weight of 44 tonnes. The load capacity with a standard trailer is approximately 22 tons. More weight is also possible if necessary and permitted by law.

Approximately 2.5 times more expensive than diesel

What about costs? After all, in the transportation and logistics industry, calculations are made with an extremely sharp pencil and every penny counts. The eActros costs around 2.5 times more than the comparable diesel version. As a rule, the service life of a truck is about five years or 600,000 kilometers. Electric vehicles need to be on the roads as much as possible in order to compensate for the price disadvantage. But even in the electric world, a day is only 24 hours and (charging) breaks are mandatory. Therefore, operating costs and especially the electricity price and the lowest possible truck toll are very important for profitability. It should also be noted that electric motors require less maintenance than combustion engine propulsion.

Celebrating its Swiss premiere at Transport-CH, the eActros will be available to order this year. At the end of 2024, the first models will roll off the assembly line as tractor and platform chassis variants. This means that a variety of possible uses can be realized. That’s why Mercedes-Benz Trucks has developed two different electric PTOs for the eActros 600: DC PTO and AC PTO, in which an inverter converts the direct current from the high-voltage network into alternating current. flow. For example, refrigerated trucks or refrigerated trailers can be operated.

Source: Blick