The first all-electric series-produced eActros from the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth am Rhein is now in customer hands: Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks, has handed over an eActros 300 for heavy-duty distribution transport to the logistics service provider DB Schenker. The vehicle was received by Cyrille Bonjean, Executive Vice President, Head of Land Transport Europe at DB Schenker and Wolfgang Janda, Executive Vice President, Head of Network & Line Haul Management at DB Schenker. DB Schenker uses the eActros to transport palletized shipments in the Leipzig area.
The electric truck was configured for this purpose as a two-axle vehicle with an aerodynamic box body by SPIER. The vehicle, with a permissible total weight of 19 tons, rolled off the assembly line as planned last year and has now been officially handed over at a customer meeting in Wörth following its approval for federal funding. DB Schenker has already gained extensive experience in advance with a prototype of the eActros as part of the “eActros innovation fleet”.
Karin Rådström, Member of the Board of Management Daimler Truck Holding AG, responsible for the regions Europe and Latin America and the Mercedes-Benz Truck brand: “We are very pleased that DB Schenker, as one of the leading companies in the logistics industry, has chosen the Mercedes-Benz eActros. We worked closely with DB Schenker during the development of the eActros. The feedback from the practical trials were used to develop the series vehicle as well as related services. The eActros is a truck you can trust – and the right vehicle for a new, sustainable era.”
The eActros at DB Schenker in Leipzig
Wolfgang Janda, Executive Vice President, Head of Network & Line Haul Management at DB Schenker: “As a pioneer of innovative transport solutions with a group-wide fleet of more than 30,000 vehicles, we at DB Schenker have set ourselves the goal of becoming the world’s leading provider of green logistics. Our success is not only based on our reliable logistics services, but also on our social commitment and ecologically friendly solutions. The prerequisite for this is the right vehicle mix with alternative drives. The light FUSO eCanter from Daimler Truck has already proven its suitability for everyday use in various cities. Now we are excited to see how the eActros will fare. As the market leader for overland transport in Europe, we have a special responsibility to take on the pioneering role here.”
For DB Schenker, this is not the first use of an electric truck: DB Schenker also has more than 40 FUSO eCanter in operation in 11 European countries, including Germany, France, Finland, Italy and Spain.
Range of up to 400 kilometres
The eActros’ batteries can consist of either three (eActros 300) or four battery packs (eActros 400), each of which has an installed capacity of 112 kWh and a usable capacity of around 97 kWh. Fitted with four battery packs, the eActros 400 has a range of up to 400 kilometres. The technological heart of the electric truck is its drive unit, which consists of a rigid electric axle with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission. The two liquid-cooled motors deliver a continuous output of 330 kW and a peak output of 400 kW. In addition, electrical energy can be recovered by means of recuperation when driving with foresight. The energy recovered by braking is fed back into the eActros’ batteries and is then again available for powering the vehicle. The eActros can be charged with up to 160 kW. At a conventional DC fast charging station with a charging current of 400A, the three battery packs take a little more than one hour to charge from 20 percent of capacity to 80 percent.
The advantages of the battery-powered truck from Mercedes-Benz
The two integrated electric motors have a high efficiency and provide constant power delivery with a high starting torque. The torque immediately provided by the electric motors, and the two-speed transmission, ensure powerful acceleration, impressive driving comfort and driving dynamics that enable more relaxed, lower-stress driving than a conventional diesel-powered truck. In addition, the low centre of gravity improves cornering. The interior noise level has been reduced by 10 dB — roughly corresponding to a halving of the perceptible noise level — which also contributes to increased driver comfort in full-load operation. Night deliveries are also possible thanks to the low noise level. In contrast to a diesel truck, there is also considerably less vibration.
The eActros with aerodynamic SPIER body
The body for the Mercedes-Benz eActros at DB Schenker is supplied by SPIER. The SPIER Athlete dry freight box body is an aeroform design. The continuous edging profiles and profile caps with sophisticated aerodynamics, combined with a built-in roof spoiler, reduce the drag coefficient and can thus increase the range of the entire vehicle. The body combines a high payload with a high transport volume. The structure is adapted to customer needs, for example with regard to load securing options.
Andreas Fast, Head of Sales and Marketing, SPIER Fahrzeugwerk: “SPIER supports the increased capability of vehicles with environmentally friendly drive technology through further developed body solutions. Turning the Mercedes-Benz eActros into a well-rounded and versatile commercial vehicle solution with the SPIER Athlet body matches our mission. Our employees are trained and certified to work on vehicles with alternative drives. We look forward to the challenges of alternative drives and thus to sustainable, ecological and economic future possibilities.”
Attractive and convenient service leasing offered by Mercedes-Benz Bank Group
The vehicles are provided by the Mercedes-Benz Bank Group and its convenient ServiceLeasing and are subsidized by the “Climate-friendly commercial vehicles” funding guideline of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). With these subsidies, the Mercedes-Benz Bank Group is offering attractive service leasing rates for further all-electric eActros, which interested customers can take advantage of non-bureaucratically directly at the Mercedes-Benz branches. This offer is limited and is valid until the funds provided are exhausted, but at the latest on orders made by March 23, 2022, with delivery by December 23, 2022.
Funding for electric trucks
The series-produced eActros are being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport with a total of 10.77 million euros as part of the directive on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drives and the associated refuelling and charging infrastructure (KsNI). The funding guidelines are coordinated by the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH), and applications are approved by the Federal Office for Freight Transport. Kurt-Christoph von Knobelsdorff, Managing Director of NOW GmbH: “The funding supports the spread of commercial vehicles with climate-friendly drives and thus contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality in cities and noise protection. I am very pleased that major logistics players are taking the initiative here and are getting involved in the electrification of heavy freight traffic.”