Mercedes-Benz has released its heavy duty eActros battery electric truck in Europe.
Utilising the cab and frame of the diesel powered Actros, the series production model of the eActros is equipped with either three or four battery packs with the maximum range of 400 kilometres.
The technological centrepiece of the eActros is the drive unit which consists of a rigid drive axle with two integrated electric motors and an automatic two speed transmission.
The motors are liquid cooled and deliver a continuous output of 330kW with a peak of 400kW. Connected to a 400A DC charging station, the three- battery versions need just over one hour to recharge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent.
The eActros is available as a two or three-axle rigid truck with 19 or 27 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass respectively.
The eActros features a high level of safety including protection for the batteries in the event of a side-on crash, while sensors integrated in these can detect a crash scenario.
In such a case, the high voltage batteries would be automatically isolated from the rest of the vehicle. The driver always has the option of actuating the HV battery shutoff at any time from the cab.
To ensure the vehicle is easier for road users such as pedestrians and cyclists to hear, the eActros comes as standard with an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS). Sideguard Assist comes as standard on the eActros along with fifth generation Active Brake Assist emergency braking system with pedestrian recognition.
After sales support for the eActros includes advice offered by the eConsulting team at Mercedes-Benz Trucks and includes route analyses, verification of any available subsidies, assistance in operative fleet integration and the optimisation of the total operating costs.
Further steps for long distance haulage are also well advanced and series production of the low-floor Mercedes-Benz eEconic truck is expected to start in 2022. In addition, the battery-electric eActros Long Haul is expected to be launched in 2024 and the GenH2 Truck with hydrogen-based fuel cell will come in the second half of this decade.
“We are very excited about groundbreaking Mercedes-Benz electric trucks and buses, including the pioneering eActros,” said Andrew Assimo Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific Director.
“We are not yet in a position to confirm any local electric model introductions, but are certainly working towards making these exciting vehicles available in Australia and New Zealand at the appropriate time.”