Mercedes-Benz recently introduced its first battery-electric long-haul truck, the eActros 600, which will enter series production in 2024, at an event near Hamburg, Germany.
The heavy-duty electric truck has a battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt-hours and an electric drive axle developed by Mercedes-Benz that together provide a range of 500 kilometres (310 miles) on a single charge. The eActros can log over 1,000 km (621 mi) per day with intermediate charging during driver breaks.
eActros 600 Payload & More
The eActros 600 has a payload of 22 tonnes (24.2 U.S. tons) with a standard semitrailer. The truck is equipped with an 800-volt electric axle, two electric motors, and a 4-speed transmission designed for heavy-duty long-haul transport.
The twin electric motors have a continuous output of 400 kW with a peak output of 600 kW. Energy can be recovered and fed back into the batteries with regenerative braking, which reduces strain on the brakes while extending the truck’s battery life. Drivers can select from five levels of recuperation and can choose to enable one-pedal driving via the touchscreen.
Efficient LFP Batteries
The electric truck has three battery packs with 207 kWh each for a total capacity of 621 kWh. The lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries have a long service life capable of over 1.2 million km in 10 years with battery health over 80% beyond that range. LFP batteries can use around 95% of the installed capacity, which provides a higher range at the same capacity as other battery cells.
Innovative Technology
Predictive Powertrain Control cruise and transmission control automatically assesses topography and road and traffic conditions to find the most efficient driving style, helping the driver avoid unnecessary braking, accelerating, and shifting that reduce battery life. Battery levels can be monitored via the Multimedia Cockpit Interactive 2 system.
Improved Aerodynamics
The eActros 600 sports an aerodynamic new cab designed to preserve battery charge with a completely closed and rounded-off front that is extended 80 millimetres (3.1 inches), a bumper with underbody paneling, and extended sail-like end flaps. Air deflectors on the A-pillars, an extra spoiler on the roof, and a sealed motor compartment all further the aerodynamics.
Enhanced Safety Features
The quiet operation of the eActros 600 is good for the driver and the environment, but potentially hazardous for pedestrians and cyclists. To ensure other road users are aware of the truck, the eActros has an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System that plays sounds for forward and reverse travel according to the conditions. The sound will vary depending on the speed of the truck and the accelerator pedal position.
Additionally, the eActros 600 has Active Brake Assist 6, Frontguard Assist, Active Sideguard Assist 2, and Active Drive Assist 3, which use a network of six sensors to help drivers avoid accidents. The sensors detect road users and other objects that are in the path of the truck and the systems warn the driver visually and acoustically and can automatically guide the truck back to its lane or even apply emergency braking.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
The eActros 600 currently provides approximately 40% carbon savings compared to diesel when factoring the energy mix in use in Europe, but with an all-renewable energy mix, that savings is over 80% over the truck’s lifecycle of 10 years. That is an annual carbon savings of between 370 and 775 tonnes.
While the focus on going carbon-neutral serves as the impetus for many companies to switch to electric over diesel, either because customers demand it or they feel a sense of obligation to the environment, electric trucks can also increase profit margins with the savings on fuel and toll payments.
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Source: Mercedes-Benz