Mercedes-Benz Trucks has successfully concluded its ambitious eActros 600 European Tour, a 45-day, all-electric journey spanning 22 countries. Two near-series prototypes of the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 long-haul truck returned to Wörth am Rhein after covering over 15,000 kilometers each, demonstrating the viability of battery-electric long-distance haulage.
The trucks, operating at a 40-ton gross combination mass, relied exclusively on public charging infrastructure throughout their journey. This extensive test run provided valuable insights into the practicalities of electric trucking across diverse European landscapes and climate zones.
“The two test vehicles mastered the tour with top marks,” says Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “We can look back on almost seven weeks of exciting experiences and encounters that enabled us to collect many valuable insights.”
Weber emphasized the importance of careful planning, particularly regarding charging stops. “Even if our experiences with charging stops varied greatly in some cases, it was apparent that battery-electric long-distance haulage is feasible,” he says. “The eActros 600’s 500 kilometers range without intermediate charging was always a reliable planning factor.”
The eActros 600 boasts a battery capacity exceeding 600 kilowatt hours and features a newly developed, highly efficient electric drive axle. These innovations enable a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging, catering to about 60 percent of long-distance journeys typically undertaken by Mercedes-Benz Trucks customers in Europe. The tour, which began in Frankfurt am Main on 11 June, reached significant milestones including the North Cape in Norway and Tarifa in Spain, representing the northernmost and southernmost points of continental Europe accessible by road. Detailed insights and results from the tour will be presented at the IAA Transportation event in Hanover this September.
Looking ahead, the manufacturer plans to equip the eActros 600 with megawatt charging (MCS) capability, which could reduce charging time from 20 to 80 percent to approximately 30 minutes at suitable stations.
