Daimler unveils its first electric heavy duty and long haul truck

Daimler Truck, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, has unveiled its first heavy-duty, battery-electric truck – the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul – with a new e-axle and a range of 500kms.

The new offering – one of three new electric vehicles unveiled at the IAA Transportation conference in Hannover, boasts more than 600kWh of battery capacity from three battery packs powering two electric motors as part of a new e-axle which can generate a continuous output of 400kW and a peak output of over 600kW.

Mercedes-Benz will produce the eActros LongHaul in both a tractor unit and a rigid variant from launch, and series-production will take place at the company’s Wörth truck plant.

Alongside the e-Actros LongHaul, Daimler Truck is also displaying the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 in a tractor version for flexible heavy-duty distribution transport and has announced the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eAtego for the medium-duty segment.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 as a tractor unit will be able to pull all standard European semi-trailers and is powered by three battery packs, each with an installed capacity of 112kWh, enabling a range of up to 220 kilometres on a single charge. Serial production of the eActros 300 tractor unit is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2023.

Another Daimler and Mercedes-Benz subsidiary, Fuso, is displaying at the IAA Transportation trade show the Next Generation eCanter which will be tailored for inner-city distribution transport and the requirements of the last mile.

The eCanter is available with three different battery pack options.

“Since the last IAA four years ago we have moved forward at full speed with the transition to CO2-neutral transport,” said Martin Daum, the CEO Daimler Truck. “This year we already have eight pure battery-electric series-production vehicles in our portfolio.

“However, it’s not enough just to offer the right vehicles. Our customers also need the suitable infrastructure. We are active here at a wide variety of levels. For a rapid build-up, it is essential that the entire industry and governments pull together.”

Mercedes-Benz Trucks also announced its plans to expand its range of vehicles to include series-produced trucks with hydrogen-based fuel cell drives in the second half of the decade.

The development goal of the company’s hydrogen-based trucks is a range of up to 1,000 kilometres. Already, the first prototypes of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck are undergoing rigorous testing, both on the company’s in-house test track and on public roads.