Mercedes-Benz will debut its first all-electric long-distance truck at the IAA Transportation show in Stuttgart in a few months. It’s called the eActros LongHaul, and it was initially unveiled in 2020; this time, we’ll see the “concept prototype,” which will serve as a preview of the new design theme for the next production truck.
The eActros is expected to have a range of 500 kilometers. It will be equipped with the recently revealed Megawatt Charging System (MCS), which will allow it to recharge in the same amount of time as a passenger vehicle.
eActros LongHaul truck uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells since they last longer. The truck’s battery, according to the automaker, can be recharged from 20% to 80% in less than half an hour.
Research by Mercedes Benz showed that the majority of distance covered by drivers within driving hours is way less than 500 km before the legally required break of 45 minutes. On paper it seems like this is going to be a perfect truck for Europe.
This new truck is part of a vast fleet of vehicles that will be put to the test on public roads later this year. Later in 2023, the vehicles will be sent to a select group of clients for real-world testing before going on the market in 2024.
Mercedes will also deliver the “standard” eActros, which is designed for heavy-duty distribution. This vehicle is already in production and has been since October of last year. The eConic, a smaller truck made for municipal services, will be released in July.
Daimler Truck (part of the Mercedes-Benz Group) has formed a joint venture with Volvo Group and Volkswagen’s Traton Group to build a network of public charging stations for the long haul business. The network, like the trucks, will follow the MCS standard, and it will be available to all electric trucks, independent of manufacturer.
Daimler Trucks also aims to launch the Freightliner eCascadia in the American market later this year, it will compete directly with the Tesla Semi.