Mercedes-Benz Trucks has successfully concluded its eActros 600 European Tour, completing a 45-day all-electric development journey across 22 countries. The two near-series prototypes returned to Wörth am Rhein after covering 15,269km and 15,939km, respectively, with a 40-ton gross combination mass. They were charged exclusively at public charging points along the route.
The eActros 600 features a high battery capacity of over 600kWh and an efficient electric drive axle, enabling a 500-kilometer range without intermediate charging.
The tour started in Frankfurt am Main on June 11. The trucks traveled through Germany, Denmark, Sweden and reached the North Cape in Norway. They then headed south through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, France, Spain and reached Tarifa, Spain. The return journey included stops in Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg before arriving back in Germany.
The tour aimed to gather extensive data on energy consumption across various routes, topographies and climates, which Mercedes-Benz Trucks says will be shared with interested customers.
The manufacturer says the trial shows the need for a robust public charging infrastructure to support long-distance electric haulage. The eActros 600 can be charged using combined charging system (CCS) charging with up to 400kW and will later support megawatt charging (MCS). The truck’s batteries can be charged from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes, according to the company, at a suitable station with an output of around 1MW.
Christof Weber, head of global testing Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said, “The two test vehicles mastered the tour with top marks. We can look back on almost seven weeks of exciting experiences and encounters that enabled us to collect many valuable insights. Such a monumental trip requires meticulous preparation and planning, especially with regard to charging at public infrastructure.
“Even if our experiences with charging stops varied greatly in some cases, it was apparent that battery-electric long-distance haulage is feasible. The eActros 600’s 500km range without intermediate charging was always a reliable planning factor.”
Mercedes-Benz Trucks will present specific insights and results from the eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024 at the IAA Transportation event in Hanover in September.