Mercedes-Benz Wins Innovation Prize For Electric Trucks
Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK was recently named the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) of the Year at the 2021 Electrical Vehicle Innovation & Excellence Awards from publishing and events group Solar Media. The company received the national award for efforts to switch from fossil fuels to greener power sources. Mercedes-Benz Trucks impressed judges with their current line of electric trucks and plans to bring an array of battery and hydrogen fuel cell models to market. A gala was held at the Bristol Harbour Hotel to present the awards.
“Our Electric Vehicle Innovations and Excellence Awards 2021 highlighted just a few of the outstanding success stories the UK’s electric vehicle sector has produced in the past year, and it was Solar Media’s pleasure to reward our 14 winners on the evening,” says Liam Stoker, panel member and editor-in-chief of Current+ magazine. “The OEM of the Year category was hotly contested, and our judging panel ultimately selected Mercedes-Benz Trucks as the winner due to its commendable commitment to providing vehicles to help electrify fleets in the UK; a critical factor in decarbonising transport.”
Mercedes-Benz Trucks parent company Daimler has been working for years to create carbon-neutral options with a goal for all new vehicles in Europe, North America, and Japan to be tank-to-wheel carbon-neutral by 2039. Mercedes-Benz UK also sells and supports the FUSO range in addition to the Mercedes-Benz brand.
The Electric Lineup & More
The Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK electric range includes the FUSO eCanter, the world’s first fully electric light truck, which has a 4-tonne (4.4-U.S.-ton) payload and a 100-kilometre (62-mile) range. The eActros, available in 4x2 or 6x2 rigid configurations, has a range of up to 400 km (248.5 mi) and the eEconic is a battery-electric version of the low-entry chassis that has been popular with refuse collection fleets and other urban applications.
Daimler Truck AG recently partnered with the Volvo Group to form cellcentric GmbH, a joint venture that aims to accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel cells. Daimler is also partnering with Linde, a global industrial gas and engineering leader, to develop liquid hydrogen refuelling technology for fuel cell-powered trucks.
On The Shortlist
“We were already extremely proud to be the only truck manufacturer on the shortlist. To win this accolade is a very gratifying recognition of our determination to offer customers the practical, viable solutions they need to remove diesel vehicles from our roads,” says Ross Paterson, head of special trucks for Mercedes-Benz. “To achieve this, we’ve outlined a two-pronged strategy. By focusing on both battery power and hydrogen fuel cells, we’ll be able to offer the best possible options for a wide range of applications. Batteries are best-suited to lower cargo weights, shorter distances and fixed routes; those hauling heavier loads over longer, or less predictable routes will prefer the flexibility that hydrogen fuel cells provide.”
Find Mercedes-Benz Trucks
Visit Truck Locator for hundreds of for-sale listings for new and used Mercedes-Benz and FUSO trucks, including Actros, Econic, and Canter models in a variety of configurations.
Source: Mercedes-Benz