Mercedes-Benz Trucks has introduced the eActros 600, a heavy-duty electric truck offering over 800hp of peak output and a single charge driving range of 500km
Mercedes-Benz Trucks has introduced its latest battery-electric long-haul truck, the eActros 600. Unveiled at an event near Hamburg, the eActros 600 will go into series production from the beginning of next year.
The eActros 600 features a substantial battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt-hours, allowing it to achieve a range of 500 kilometres on a single charge. With intermediate charging during driver breaks, it can travel more than 1,000km per day. Approximately 60 percent of long-distance journeys by Mercedes-Benz Trucks customers in Europe are shorter than 500km, says the company, making charging infrastructure at depots and loading points adequate for many cases. However, for long-distance haulage, continual expansion of public charging infrastructure is essential.
In addition to CCS charging with up to 400kW, the eActros 600 will be available with megawatt charging (MCS). From the start of sales, customers can order a pre-installation for this and as soon as MCS technology becomes available, and is standardised across manufacturers, probably from next summer, Mercedes will offer a retrofit upgrade. With MCS the batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes, Mercedes claims.
The eActros 600 has three battery packs, each with 207kWh, giving an installed total capacity of 621kWh. The batteries are based on lithium iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) to deliver a long service life. The development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks have designed the eActros 600 to meet the same requirements on the durability of the vehicle and components as a comparable diesel-powered Actros. That means up to 1.2 million kilometres in 10 years of operation, the so called B10 life. After this period of use, the battery state of health should still be over 80 percent, says Mercedes.
Featuring a new 800-volt electric axle with two electric motors and a four-speed transmission specifically for use in heavy-duty long-haul transport, the eActros offers a continuous power output of 400kW (540hp) and a peak output of 600kW (800hp), ensuring powerful acceleration, high driving comfort and high driving dynamics.
Energy regeneation is a key feature of battery electric truck operation and the eActros is no exception. Depending on the situation, the driver can choose between five different recuperation levels. One-pedal driving can also be optionally enabled on the touchscreen in the digital cockpit.
The eActros 600 features the tried-and-tested Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) cruise and transmission control, which is specially tuned to the electric drive system. The drivetrain control automatically takes into account the topography, course of the road and traffic signs for the most efficient style of driving. Route information from the navigation system is now included to facilitate better recognition of the situation on the road ahead. This allows the driver to avoid unnecessary braking, accelerating and shifting and to exploit the battery energy as efficiently as possible.
There are two power take-offs available with the eActros 600. The electric-mechanical power take-off aimed at those operations which us hydraulic or mechanical work equipment such as tipping, sliding floor or bulk trailers, while an electric DC or AC ePTO is also available. An inverter converts the direct current from the high-voltage network into alternating current, offering a solution for refrigerated bodies or trailers. Depending on the PTO version, a power range from 22 to 90kW is offered which should be sufficient for most long-distance and distribution operations.
The cab of the new eActros has been given a signficant makeover compared with the diesel-powered Actros, with the external emphasis on aerodynamic improvements reducing the drag coefficient of the cab by nine percent. Extending the front of the cab by 80 millimeters has made it possible to achieve the particularly aerodynamic shape of the new cab. This aerodynamic improvement reduces the vehicle’s energy consumption and makes a decisive contribution to the range of 500km achieved by the eActros 600.
Sales of the electric truck will begin this year, with series production planned to start by the end of 2024.
