The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros designed for heavy-duty distribution haulage has covered more than half a million kilometers of testing on public roads and is entering series production this year.
After Mercedes-Benz Trucks had presented the concept vehicle for a heavy-duty distribution haulage truck for urban areas at the IAA 2016 for Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, practical testing of ten eActros prototypes in co-operation with customers in Germany and other European countries began in 2018. Compared with the prototypes, several features such as range, drive power and safety have been considerably improved in the series-production model.
At the heart of the eActros is the drive unit with two integrated electric motors along with a two-speed transmission. The quiet and emission-free electric drive enables use of the truck for night deliveries and entry into inner-cities with driving bans for diesel vehicles. Depending on the version, the eActros draws its power from three or four battery packs – each with a capacity of around 105 kWh. With a maximum capacity of 420 kWh, a range of up to 400 kilometres is possible. The range was determined internally in optimum conditions, including 4 battery packs after preconditioning in partially loaded distribution traffic without a trailer at 20 °C outside temperature. The eActros can be charged with up to 160 kW: when connected to a regular 400A DC charging station, the three battery packs need a little longer than 1 hour to charge from 20 to 80 percent.
From autumn 2021, the series production model will be produced in Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ largest truck assembly plant in Wörth am Rhein. In recent months intensive preparations have been made for the new production processes there. This includes the construction of a new assembly line. In an initial phase 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.