Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 tractor unit, which recently premiered at the IAA Transportation 2022, has successfully completed tests in the Tyrolean mountains.
The tests in Tyrol spanned a total distance of 111 kilometres, encompassing Bludenz, Stuben, St. Anton, and Lech, and were conducted at elevations of more than 1,800 metres at times, to assess performance and durability. During the test, the battery-powered vehicle ascended 2,300 metres in height, with a maximum slope of 13%.
A focus was placed on energy recovery via regen under braking, which could be used extensively in Tyrol’s alpine terrain. Braking energy is recovered to the eActros’ batteries and made available to the drive unit during recovery. The electric tractor unit was able to collect around 180kWh of energy in this manner. Around 40% of the energy was still available at the end of the rigorous expedition.
“The tractor unit version of the eActros 300 expands the application options of the eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport. The intensive tests in Austria have shown our electric truck can reliably fulfill its tasks, even in a particularly challenging topography with extreme uphill and downhill grades.” said Stina Fagerman, Head of Sales, Marketing and Services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
The eActros 300 tractor type can tow any standard European semi-trailers up to the maximum allowable overall length. Three battery packs, each having a capacity of 112 kWh, provide for a range of up to 220km on a single charge. The drive unit, an electric rigid axle with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed gearbox, is the technological core of the electric truck.
The two liquid-cooled motors provide 330kW of continuous power and 400kW of peak power. The eActros 300 tractor has a charging capacity of up to 160 kW: A normal DC fast charging station with a charging current of 400 A takes little more than an hour to charge the three battery packs from 20 to 80%.
Series production launch of the eActros 300 tractor unit is planned for the second half of 2023
