Mercedes-Benz: eActros LongHaul aims to unlock new dimensions

The commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck is pursuing the goal of fully locally CO2-neutral transport. The manufacturer demonstrates this with a wide portfolio of fully electric vehicles at the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover. Daimler Truck's highlight at the fair is the heavy battery-electric long-haul truck Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul, which the manufacturer is presenting to the public for the first time. Daimler Truck today, on September 18, 2022, unveiled a concept prototype of the electric truck at a press conference ahead of the IAA. The newspaper Transport was able to take a close look at the new truck during the sneak preview at the Wörth plant.

The Data

The eActros LongHaul shown at the IAA is intended to give a preview of the series vehicle's design language with clear contours and an LED light strip in the front area. Three battery packs deliver an installed total capacity of over 600 kWh, and two electric motors as part of a newly developed eAxle generate a continuous output of 400 kW and a peak output of over 600 kW. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce flatbed chassis variants of the eActros LongHaul right from the market launch. This is intended to offer customers numerous additional applications in fully electric transport. According to their own statements, Mercedes-Benz Trucks' development engineers are designing the eActros LongHaul to meet the same durability requirements for vehicle and components as a comparable conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros. This means a mileage of 1.2 million kilometers in ten years of operation.

Made in Wörth

The eActros LongHaul will be the first fully electric series vehicle from Mercedes-Benz Trucks to be manufactured from A to Z on the existing assembly line at the truck plant in Wörth. This also includes the installation of all electric components and the commissioning of the vehicle at the end of the line. This is intended to enable high production capacities and completely parallel production of both conventional and fully electric trucks on the same line.

"One of the biggest changes in production," said Dr. Andreas Bachhofer, Head of Plant and Production at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, during the sneak preview.

In the case of the eActros 300/400 and the eEconic, electrification is still taking place in a separate process at the Future Truck Center in Wörth.

Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “We are continuously expanding our portfolio of battery-electric trucks. In doing so, we focus on clear advantages for our customers. The vehicles are designed for electromobility from the ground up and enable a better driving experience as well as higher energy efficiency and durability.” 

New Batteries & Megawatt Charging

The eActros LongHaul uses batteries with lithium iron phosphate cell technology (LFP). According to Mercedes-Benz, these are particularly characterized by their long service life and more usable energy. The batteries of the eActros LongHaul can be charged from 20 to 80 percent at a charging station with about one megawatt of power in well under 30 minutes. This is intended to allow drivers to charge the vehicle during their regular breaks. When fully charged, a range of 500 kilometers should be achieved. 

Even More Range with eTrailer

Electrified trailers can significantly increase the range of electric trucks. For example, the tech company Trailer Dynamics, together with trailer manufacturer Krone, has developed the “eTrailer.” The core is an eAxle with batteries installed in the trailer that supports the towing vehicle with additional power. Depending on the battery capacity of the eTrailer, ranges of more than 800 kilometers are possible with the series version of the eActros LongHaul with a single battery charge.