Daimler Truck showcased a broad portfolio of fully electric vehicles at IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover.
Mercedes-Benz eActros Now Avaiable in Tractor Version
Taking the centre stage was the heavy-duty, battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul long-distance truck, which the manufacturer presents to the public for the first time.
Apart from the Longhaul that received the 2023 Truck Innovation Award, the other two electric trucks of eActros line-up – the eActros 300 and eActros 400 are already in production.
The series-production eActros LongHaul has a range of around 500 kilometers on a single battery charge and is capable of megawatt charging. Readiness for series production is planned for 2024.
With its clear contours and an LED light strip in the front area, the eActros LongHaul presented at IAA provides a preview of the design language of the production vehicle. Mercedes-Benz Trucks has also announced additional information on the eActros LongHaul series. Three battery packs provide an installed total capacity of over 600 kWh and two electric motors, as part of a new e-axle, generate a continuous output of 400 kW and a peak output of over 600 kW.
In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros LongHaul right at market launch. This will offer customers numerous other possible use cases in fully electric transport. Development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks are designing the eActros LongHaul so that the vehicle and its components meet the same durability requirements as a comparable conventional heavy long-distance Actros. That means 1.2 million kilometers on the road over a period of ten years.
The eActros LongHaul will be the first all-electric series-production vehicle from Mercedes-Benz Trucks to be manufactured from start to finish on the existing assembly line at the Wörth truck plant. This also includes the installation of all electrical components and putting the vehicle into operation at the end of the line. It enables high-production capacities and a completely parallel production of both conventional and fully electric trucks on the same line. With the eActros 300/400 and the eEconic, on the other hand, electrification has so far taken place in a separate process at the Future Truck Center in Wörth.
The batteries used in the eActros LongHaul employ lithium-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP). These are characterised, above all, by a long service life and more usable energy. The batteries of the production eActros LongHaul can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in well under 30 minutes at a charging station with an output of about one megawatt. The core of the Mercedes-Benz Trucks concept for battery-electric long-distance transport is to offer customers a holistic solution consisting of vehicle technology, consulting, charging infrastructure and services.
The eActros LongHaul is planned to be the right choice for customers in terms of profitability, sustainability and reliability. First prototypes are already undergoing intensive testing and the eActros LongHaul will be tested on public roads this year. In the coming year, near-production prototypes will go to customers for real-world use testing.
Another innovation at the trade show was the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 in a tractor version for flexible heavy-duty distribution transport. In addition, Daimler Truck has announced the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eAtego for the medium-duty segment. As another highlight, the manufacturer presented the light-duty, battery-electric Fuso Next Generation eCanter at the IAA.
