Mercedes-Benz Trucks Highlights Eco-Friendly Municipal Vehicles At IFAT 2022
As municipalities around the world seek ways to lessen their environmental impact while providing vital services, Mercedes-Benz is offering solutions. The company will showcase the all-electric eEconic waste collection vehicle, the battery-electric eActros with electrified tipper, and the Unimog implement carrier at its booth at IFAT 2022 in Munich. IFAT is the largest trade fair for water, sewage, waste, and raw materials management, bringing exhibitors and visitors from around the world to discuss strategies for resource management and environmental protection in municipal work. This year’s trade fair in Munich will run 30 May to 3 June with 2,900 exhibitors from more than 50 countries.
About The eEconic
Mercedes-Benz’s electric waste collection vehicle, the eEconic, is a low-floor truck with a gross weight rating of 27 tonnes (29.7 U.S. tons) and is based on the eActros for heavy-duty distribution haulage. The eEconic has an e-axle with integrated drive unit and two electric motors and three battery packs with 97 kWh of usable capacity each. The truck can recoup some electrical energy when gears are disengaged while driving downhill or rolling to a traffic light. The batteries take just over an hour to charge from 20% to 80% at standard DC fast-charging stations with 400-amp charging current.
Several features of the conventional Econic have carried over to the electric version, including the panoramic Thermocontrol Absorbing windscreen and low seating position. The eEconic comes with the Interactive Multimedia Cockpit as standard, which informs drivers of vital information such as the state of charge, the remaining range, and the current and average energy consumption as kWh per 100 kilometres. The model that will be on display at IFAT has a waste collection body from Zoeller, which is specially designed for the all-electric chassis with high-voltage interface and has an electrified collection box with two internal electric motors.
The eEconic has been through extensive testing by FES Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH which found most waste collection routes can be completed on a single charge. The truck was also tested in the Arctic Circle where it proved reliable even in temperatures as low as -25 °C (-13 °F). The eEconic will enter series production during the second half of 2022.
About The eActros
The eActros has an electric rigid axle with two electric motors and a two-speed transmission. The liquid-cooled engines have a continuous output of 330 kW and the batteries, three for the eActros 300 or four for the eActros 400, have a usable capacity of 97 kWh. The eActros 400 has a range of up to 400 kilometres (248.5 miles). The trucks are equipped with safety features including the external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, Active Brake Assist, MirrorCam, and more.
Since its introduction, the eActros has been used in heavy-duty distribution haulage, but the company says it can be used in other applications as well. Mercedes-Benz Trucks is currently running a pilot program that sets the eActros up with the eWorX all-in-one solution developed by ZF and a PALFINGER skip loader to efficiently electrify power take-offs (PTOs) for hydraulic equipment.
About The Unimog
While the focus for Mercedes-Benz at IFAT will be on its electric trucks, they won’t be the only vehicles on display. The Unimog was designed for use with implements and can be used throughout the year to a myriad of seasonal tasks. It has an open-view cab and short front overhang for visibility and safety. The EasyDrive system combines an automated manual transmission for driving up to 89 km/h (55 mph) with a hydrostatic traction drive for driving and working at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph). It is also equipped with Electronic Quick Reverse for easy direction changes. Mercedes-Benz will exhibit a Unimog U 219 equipped with a Bucher Municipal Yeti L brine spreading mechanism and MULAG front mowing equipment with GE watering unit. The truck’s short wheelbase of 2,800 millimetres (110 inches) and narrow width of 2,150 mm (84.6 in.) make it a good fit for work on narrow streets.
Also on display will be a Unimog U 423 equipped with the Dücker FKM 2200 front sweeper, the Jotha CombiCon 5018 U spreader, and the AEBI-Schmidt Syntos S15-18 VESN wet salt spreader.
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You’ll find a large selection of new and used Mercedes-Benz trucks, including Actros, Econic, and Unimog models, for sale on Truck Locator.
Source: Mercedes-Benz