The official handover of the eActros to regionally based logistics company Logistik Schmitt took place recently on occasion of Daimler Trucks’ annual press conference held at the Unimog-Museum in Gaggenau.
As part of the eWayBW project, commercial transport will be electric on the B462 federal road around Rastatt with the test operation of catenary trucks as of 2020.
Whilst preparations for the construction of the necessary infrastructure are still ongoing, the eActros is mobile with its battery-electric drive, fully flexible and in need of only minimal infrastructure; nothing more than a charging station.
From spring of this year, Logistik Schmitt will be operating the eActros in place of a conventional diesel truck as part of a field test transporting transmission housings.
The eActros will be tested on an around 7 kilometer stretch in a demanding three-shift system between Logistik Schmitt’s warehouse in Ötigheim and Rastatt's Mercedes-Benz Gaggenau plant. The daily tour of the 25-tonne truck totals around 168km.
This represents the kick-off to a series of eActros field tests taking place over several years in the Murg valley and the surrounding region. As a next step, comparative tests with the catenary project will be carried out with an advanced version of the eActros as a semitrailer tractor variant with higher tonnage and range.
Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “Our eActros has been out on public roads since June 2018 and has already covered more than 30,000 kilometres with its battery-electric drive. Together with customers, we have been compiling experiences of the eActros in regular everyday operations since September.
"Its range of 200 kilometres has proved to be absolutely realistic. The eActros completes its transportation tasks regardless of the route or other factors. The expenses involved in installing one charging station at each customer's premises is comparatively low. There is every indication that we are on the right track with our eActros concept. Our aim as of 2021 is to have locally emission-free and quiet heavy-duty series production trucks operating in cities – operating economically on a par with diesel trucks.”
