If you live in Europe, chances are over the past three years, or so, you came across the electric variant of the Mercedes-Benz Actros on local roads. That’s because ten such trucks, called eActros, have been testing with customers on the continent’s roads, covering a whopping half a million km (310,000 miles) since the program started.
And soon more such heavy-duty distribution trucks will come out and play, as the German truck maker announced it plans to start production of the electric haulage truck this fall. Mercedes-Benz pulled the wraps off the final production version of the eActros on the last day of June, and there's plenty to talk about.
As per the specs provided, the truck moves along under the power provided by two integrated electric motors that run with the help of a two-speed transmission. The motors get their juice from a 420 kWh battery that can provide a range of up to 400 km (249 miles).
The battery can be charged with up to 160 kW, and when plugged into a 400A DC charging station, it needs “a little longer than 1 hour to charge from 20 to 80 percent,” according to the Germans.
To make the electric truck easier to understand and operate by customers, and hence easier to sell, Mercedes says it has created a “comprehensive system which includes consultant and service products for customers and in turn the best possible vehicle utilisation, optimisation of total costs and the setting-up of a charging infrastructure.”
For the time being, the electric Actros will only be available for customers in Europe. Twelve countries are presently on the list, including the home market of Germany, Italy, the UK, and Sweden. The eActros will reach more regions as soon as production ramps up.
Mercedes-Benz does not say how much it will charge for the new electric Actros.
As per the specs provided, the truck moves along under the power provided by two integrated electric motors that run with the help of a two-speed transmission. The motors get their juice from a 420 kWh battery that can provide a range of up to 400 km (249 miles).
The battery can be charged with up to 160 kW, and when plugged into a 400A DC charging station, it needs “a little longer than 1 hour to charge from 20 to 80 percent,” according to the Germans.
To make the electric truck easier to understand and operate by customers, and hence easier to sell, Mercedes says it has created a “comprehensive system which includes consultant and service products for customers and in turn the best possible vehicle utilisation, optimisation of total costs and the setting-up of a charging infrastructure.”
For the time being, the electric Actros will only be available for customers in Europe. Twelve countries are presently on the list, including the home market of Germany, Italy, the UK, and Sweden. The eActros will reach more regions as soon as production ramps up.
Mercedes-Benz does not say how much it will charge for the new electric Actros.