Following the market launch of the eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport in 2021, Mercedes-Benz Trucks presented the eActros LongHaul, announced in 2020, for the first time at the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover, Germany. The company says the first prototypes will be tested on public roads this year. In the coming year, near-series prototypes will be sent to various customers for testing.
Three battery packs provide an installed total capacity of over 600 kWh. 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. On one battery charge, the eActros LongHaul will have a range of around 500 kilometers (approx. 310 miles).
Mercedes-Benz Trucks says it will also produce rigid variants of the eActros LongHaul right at market launch.
The batteries used in the eActros LongHaul employ lithium-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP). These are characterized, above all, by a long service life and more usable energy, the company says. The batteries of the production eActros LongHaul can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes at a charging station with an output of about one megawatt.
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 in Germany.
The tech company Trailer Dynamics developed the “eTrailer” together with the trailer manufacturer Krone. The core is an e-axle built into the trailer, including batteries, which support the towing vehicle with additional power. Depending on the battery capacity of the eTrailer, ranges of more than 800 kilometers (approx. 497 miles) are possible with the series-production version of the eActros LongHaul on one battery charge, the company says.
With regard to public charging for long-haul transport, Daimler Truck, Traton Group and Volvo Group founded a joint venture in July. The joint venture plans to install and operate high-performance charge points for battery-powered heavy-duty trucks and coaches in Europe. The charging network initiated by the three parties will be open and accessible to all heavy commercial vehicles in Europe, regardless of brand. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is working with Siemens Smart Infrastructure and ENGIE on depot charging.
In addition, Daimler Truck participates in the “high-performance charging in long-distance truck transport” (HoLa) project. The goal of this project, under the patronage of the VDA, is the planning, construction and operation of a selected high-performance charging infrastructure for battery-electric long-haul trucking. Two high-performance Megawatt Charging System (MCS) charging points will be set up at four locations in Germany and tested in real-world use. Various other consortium partners from industry and research are involved in the project.