Mercedes-Benz Trucks sends the eActros on a long test drive

Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to conduct the largest testing drive in its company history this summer – with its new electric flagship, the eActros 600. Two production-like prototypes of the battery-electric long-haul truck are set to travel through over 20 European countries, each covering more than 13,000 kilometers with a total weight of 40 tons.

(Leinfelden-Echterdingen/Wörth am Rhein) Mercedes-Benz Trucks aims to gather extensive experience on various routes in different topographies and climates regarding energy consumption. The manufacturer intends to share these insights with interested customers afterward. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Trucks wants to demonstrate with this tour that a purely battery-electric cross-border long-haul transport with the eActros 600 is possible in Europe. The batteries are to be charged exclusively at public charging stations. Although the establishment of a comprehensive public truck charging infrastructure is still essential for the further market ramp-up of electric trucks, the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024” – as the journey is titled – aims to send a positive signal to all involved parties. The high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt-hours^[1] and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house enable a range of 500 kilometers^[2] for the eActros 600 without intermediate charging.

Dr. Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “We have already rigorously tested various prototypes of the eActros 600 over the past few years. Whether in northern Finland or southern Spain, it has long proven its capabilities. With the series development, we are now on the home stretch. With the ‘eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024’, we are sending a clear signal a few months before the series launch at the end of the year: We are firmly convinced that the two eActros 600 prototypes will master this enormous challenge, the largest testing drive of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, very well.”

Customer interest is very high

Stina Fagerman, Head of Marketing, Sales, and Services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “Customer interest in the eActros 600 is very high. Since the sales launch at the end of last year, we have already recorded over 1,000 firm orders, and we are also in the four-digit range for letters of intent. This is all the more impressive given that the customer demo vehicles will only be launched in the second half of the year. Many customers are already convinced of the vehicle in advance.”

Fagerman continued: “With the ‘eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024’, our focus is on expanding our expertise regarding consumption and application possibilities of the electric truck under various conditions, to provide our customers with even more informed advice. Additionally, we want to inform decision-makers from politics and the energy sector, as well as the general public, about the possibilities of battery-electric drives in the long-haul segment, thereby further increasing the momentum for the necessary infrastructure development.”

The eActros 600 European Testing Tour is set to start on June 11 in Frankfurt am Main and will be publicly accompanied. Unofficially, it will already begin the day before at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks location in Wörth am Rhein and at the headquarters of Daimler Truck AG in Leinfelden-Echterdingen. Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to announce further details, such as the route around the start of the tour.

E-Tour experiences across Europe

Mercedes-Benz Trucks already conducted a sales tour across Europe last year around the eActros 300/400 for heavy distribution transport. Three electric trucks each covered over 5,000 kilometers through Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Overall, Mercedes-Benz Trucks organized 14 customer events with over 1,500 guests and 1,250 test drives.

Photo: © Mercedes-Benz Truck