Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the series version of its first battery-electric long-haul truck, the eActros 600.
Revealed in October at an event near Hamburg, Germany, the eActross 600 has three 207kWh battery packs made from lithium iron phosphate cell technology paired with an in-house developed electric drive axle.
The new 800-volt electric axle has two electric motors and a four-speed transmission specifically for use in heavy-duty long-haul transport. The electric motors generate a continuous output of 400kW as well as a peak output of 600kW. The full motor output is, the company says, available most of the time with no interruption in torque.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks says this set-up enables the electric truck to achieve a range of 500km without intermediate charging.
In addition to CCS charging up to 400kW, the eActros 600 will, the company adds, later also enable megawatt charging (MCS). Customers can order a pre-installation for this and as soon as MCS technology becomes available and is standardised across manufacturers, it is planned to be retrofittable for these models of the eActros 600.
Batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes at a suitable charging station with an output of one megawatt.
The company says its engineers designed the eActros 600 to meet the same requirements on the durability of the vehicle and its components as a comparable conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros. That means up to 1.2 million km in 10 years of operation. After this period of use, the battery state of health should still be over 80 per cent.
The vehicle is technically designed for a gross combination weight of up to 44 tonnes. With a standard semi-trailer, the eActros 600 has a payload of around 22 tonnes in the European Union (EU).
Series production is planned for the end of this year. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks says it will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 right from market launch. A fleet of around 50 prototype vehicles is currently being built, some of which are also to be put into practical testing with customers in a next step.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (November 2023)
7 November 2023