IAA: Mercedes-Benz eActros and eEconic battery-electric trucks

Mercedes-Benz continues to produce its diesel-powered truck range, but the future points to zero emissions vehicles, spearheaded by its battery-electric eActros and eEconic models that are already in series production.

Some models of both these battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are destined for Australian release, probably in 2024.

Daimler Truck is also developing hydrogen fuel-cell and hydrogen-combustion trucks and we’ve covered those vehicles in a separate trucksales story.

On the eve of the IAA opening day, Karin Rådström, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, gave the visiting global press a heads-up on the company’s current electrification progress.

“Our current offering for urban and interurban transport is the eActros that has been in series production for over a year,” said Karin Rådström.

“What my customers tell me they like about this truck is that we have done it 100 per cent the Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ way.

“We designed it to be electric from the very start – not like many other electric trucks that are still built like diesel trucks,” she said.

In designing the eActros, Mercedes-Benz fundamentally changed the layout of the vehicle. Two e-motors are mounted directly on the e-axle, at the rear of the vehicle, delivering power where it’s needed and eliminating the entire traditional powertrain, including the prop shaft.

That layout frees up valuable packaging space in the middle of the vehicle, opening up the chassis space, all the way back to the rear axle, for battery packs. More battery packs mean more range.

“We have put the eEconic through intensive testing,” said Karin Rådström.

The Mercedes-Benz eEconic employs the same layout and is purpose-designed for municipal services, like waste collection. The eEconic has three battery packs, so for most applications, one charge is enough to last an entire shift.

“Since it passed all tests successfully, we launched series production in July of this year.

“We are also working on the Mercedes-Benz eAtego that will be our medium-duty electric truck.

“It will come in the next few years and will complete our range in the distribution segment.

“So these are our new zero-emission trucks for urban transport, covering distribution, municipal and construction duties.

“Operating these electric trucks is a great benefit in cities and urban areas, because they are not only emission-free in operation but very silent too – a great benefit for residents and the environment,” she said.

There were two Mercedes-Benz BEV surprise releases in Hanover. The first was the eActros 300 prime mover that made its world premiere at the IAA event. This truck was designed to pull the standard Euro tri-axle semi-trailer, at weights up to 40 tonnes GCM.

“This truck is the right fit for flexible use in urban environments,” said Karin Rådström.

“The powertrain delivers 400 kilowatts of peak power and 330 kilowatts of continuous power.

“It can tow all common European trailers, just like a diesel truck and three battery packs, with 112 kilowatt-hours each, enable a range of up to 220 kilometres.

“We will start series production in the second half of 2023,” she said.

But, as the man said: “Wait, there’s more!”

“The European long-haul segment is the most demanding one in terms of payload, distance and routes and the most relevant one for CO2 reductions,” said Karin Rådström.

“We want to do this right and deliver a great truck for long-distance transport.

“And I am happy to show you this truck right now for the very first time: our battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul,” she said.

The covers came off this high-roof, 4x2 prime mover, revealing what Mercedes-Benz hopes will be a solution to many operators’ needs. However, what ‘long haul’ means in Europe is a far cry from the Australian market’s needs, so there are no immediate plans for a three-axle prime mover version.

Nonetheless, experience gained over the next few years with this model may influence what happens Down Under.

“When we started working on this truck, we talked a lot with our customers,” said Rådström.

“We wanted to understand their major concerns with e-mobility, so that we could respond to all of those issues.

“Their top-three concerns were range anxiety, higher investment and uncertainty about reliability,” she said.

The batteries in the eActros LongHaul employ lithium-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) that was chosen because it offers a longer service life than other technologies and more usable energy, for more range. LFP batteries are also far less fire-prone than lithium-cobalt types.

Charging this battery is intended to be fast and easy, via high-performance charging – so-called ‘megawatt charging’ – where the batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes at such charging stations.

Related reading:
Mercedes-Benz eActros bound for Aus
IAA Transportation opens
Traton, Daimler and Volvo join forces for charging

Mercedes-Benz is also offering consulting services to set up a charging infrastructure in fleet premises, as well as Daimler Truck Financing services for both vehicles and infrastructure. There’s also a full service package, MB Complete, with MB Uptime.

“We designed the eActros LongHaul to meet the same durability requirements as a comparable conventional Mercedes-Benz Actros,” said Rådström.

“That means 1.2 million kilometres on the road over a period of ten years.”

Up-front cost of BEVs is higher than that for diesel trucks, but there are factors working in favour of a battery electric truck, Karin Rådström said.

“The eActros LongHaul will have a much lower energy consumption per kilometre than a diesel truck – in fact less than half,” she said.

“This means we expect to have lower running costs, so over five years at 120,000 kilometres per year, this truck can amortise like a diesel truck.”

The eActros LongHaul starts testing on public roads this year and in 2023 customer testing is scheduled to begin. The plan is for series production in 2024.

“We presented our first electric truck in 2016 and many people were sceptical then about electric trucks,” said Rådström.

“Now it’s real; it’s happening and we are transforming transportation.

“It is really an honour and a blessing to lead this change that motivates me enormously and it also motivates my whole organisation,” she concluded.