Mercedes-Benz launches its longest-range electric truck - eActros

The eActros LongHaul will be manufactured in the Wörth truck plant of Mercedes-Benz.

Daimler Trucks, the commercial truck subsidiary of the German automaker that comprises several brands such as Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Freightliner, has been a leader in electrification with a growing range of battery-electric trucks.The company had already made some headway with electric trucks, such as the eCascadia, an electric class 8 semi-truck, and the eActros, an urban electric truck with a short range.

Following the market introduction of the eActros 300/400 for heavy-duty distribution in 2021, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is not only consistently pushing forward with the introduction of additional battery-electric models for this and future years, but is also focusing on even more diversity and flexibility in applications for the eActros itself. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is demonstrating a wide range of innovative applications for the eActros at this year's IAA Transportation in Hanover. It is available as a tractor unit for heavy-duty distribution transport, for example, with an electric power take-off option for hook loaders and skip loaders.

The eActros 300 as a tractor is one example of how Mercedes-Benz Trucks is continually increasing the application variants of the eActros. The start of production is scheduled for the second half of 2023. The electric truck, which is particularly suited to flexible use in heavy-duty distribution transport, is based on the same technology as the eActros 300 as a solo vehicle or articulated train.

The two liquid-cooled electric motors in eActros produce a continuous output of 330 kW and a peak output of 400 kW. The batteries are made up of three (eActros 300) or four (eActros 400) battery packs, each with an installed capacity of 112 kWh and a usable capacity of roughly 97 kWh.

The eActros 400 has a range of up to 400 kilometers thanks to four battery packs. The tractor's battery may be charged up to 160 kW. A normal DC fast-charging station with 400 A charging current takes slightly over an hour to charge the three battery packs from 20% to 80%.

As with all eActros models, the safety equipment includes the exterior Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System in compliance with regulatory regulations, the fifth-generation Active Brake Assist with pedestrian recognition, and the S1R turning helper. The turning aid employs the MirrorCam display, which is fitted in the eActros in place of traditional mirrors, to provide visual warnings.

The second-generation mirror camera system, which has been available since April 2022, is now even better able to assist the driver in many situations in road traffic, thanks to ten centimeters shorter camera arms per side and new image parameters for a more realistic representation of the surroundings, among other things.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks will continue to diversify its medium-duty battery electric vehicle offering for distribution transport. The firm is already working tirelessly on the eAtego, which will hit the market in the coming years.Other eActros applications, in addition to the tractor, can be seen at this year's IAA Transportation 2022. Mercedes-Benz Trucks, for example, shows ZF's all-in-one solution eWorX on an eActros in conjunction with a hookloader from MEILLER and a skiploader from PALFINGER.

The goal is to efficiently electrify PTOs used to power hydraulic industrial equipment such as skiploaders, hookloaders, cranes, and lifting platforms. The benefit: total local CO2 neutrality and much reduced noise generation, making it suitable for usage in cities and residential areas in particular.

The eWorX technology from ZF connects the vehicle's energy management system and body. eWorX integrates components such as the electric motor, inverter, electronic control unit, and application-specific software modules into a plug-and-play one-box solution to provide optimized operational efficiency.

The traction battery of the eActros gives electrical energy to the ZF system eWorX via a DC link. The eWorX electric motor, in turn, drives the hydraulic pump for the hookloader or skiploader. As a result, no mechanical connection to the traction motor is required. eWorX uses a CAN bus interface to ensure smooth communication between the e-truck and the body.

The eActros can also demonstrate its advantages in different body types, such as a Kiesling chilled box. The highly insulated refrigerated body includes a cool-slide partition wall for increased efficiency, which decreases the energy need of the cooling unit powered by the eActros' ePTO by up to 40% and thereby improves the range of the electric truck. The framework may also be split into recyclable parts such as steel, wood, PU foam, and aluminum after usage.