Amazon has placed its largest-ever order of more than 200 battery-electric heavy goods vehicles – and has selected the flagship eActros 600 from Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
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This is also the largest order for electric trucks in the history of the truck manufacturer.
The electric trucks will be deployed across high-mileage routes that make up Amazon’s middle-mile network, transporting cargo containers to and from Amazon’s fulfilment centres, sort centres, and delivery stations. With more than 140 trucks to be deployed in the UK and more than 50 in Germany, the zero emission vehicles are expected to transport more than 350 million packages with zero-exhaust emissions.
The order is preceded by the practical testing of a near-series prototype of the eActros 600 in one of Amazon‘s logistics centers in Germany.
Karin Rådström, Chairwoman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, emphasises: “We are very pleased that Amazon, a pioneer in the transformation towards alternative drives, has chosen the eActros 600, a gamechanger for sustainable transportation.”
Stina Fagerman, Head of Marketing, Sales and Services Mercedes-Benz Trucks, adds: “Amazon is an important customer for us on the path towards CO2-neutral transport. A near-series prototype of the eActros 600 has already been trialed by Amazon, providing valuable insights before the start of series production. We are therefore very pleased about this major order for the eActros 600.”
Andreas Marschner, Vice President of Worldwide Operations Sustainability at Amazon, said: “The order of more than 200 eActros 600 underlines our commitment to being a leader in electrifying our transportation network in Europe. It is the biggest electric heavy truck order by Amazon to date anywhere in the world and is an important step as we work to achieve our Climate Pledge commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions across our operations by 2040.”
The high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt hours – hence the model designation 600 – and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house enable the electric truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometres without intermediate charging. This range is accomplished under very realistic and practical conditions with a gross combination mass of 40 tonnes, which can also be significantly exceeded depending on the driving style and the route. The eActros 600 will even be able to cover well over 1,000 kilometres per day.
Intermediate charging during statutory driver breaks – even without megawatt charging (MCS) – makes this possible, provided that charging options are available. In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging.
Visually, the long-haul electric truck is characterised by a fundamentally new, minimalist design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape. In terms of profitability for fleet operators, the electric truck will set new standards and replace the majority of diesel trucks in the important long-distance transport segment in the long term. The core of the Mercedes-Benz Trucks concept for battery-powered long-distance haulage is to offer customers a holistic transportation solution comprising vehicle technology, consulting, a charging infrastructure, and services with the new TruckCharge brand.
