The two electric trucks in the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024” have reached a significant milestone. After a 32-day test drive covering 18 countries, the eActros 600 prototypes arrived in Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Europe. Throughout their 10,697-kilometer journey, the trucks relied solely on public charging stations, making one charging stop per day at the end of each stage.
Dr. Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, stated, “This tour has demonstrated that battery-powered long-haul transport is feasible in Europe today. The eActros 600 prototypes have proven reliable in various landscapes and weather conditions, including temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. The 500-kilometer range per battery charge and the 40-ton gross combination mass have been validated. We’ve only used public charging points so far, though in some southern regions, we had to unhitch the towing machine to access certain charging stations.”
The test tour began in Frankfurt am Main on June 11, with the trucks traveling north through Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, reaching the North Cape in Norway by midsummer. They then journeyed south through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, France, and Spain.
Following the Tarifa stop, the tour will proceed north through Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, returning to Germany by the end of July.
Gathering Insights on Energy Consumption
The “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024” aims to gather extensive data on energy consumption across diverse routes, topographies, and climate zones. Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to share these insights with interested customers.
With a high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt-hours and a newly developed, highly efficient electric drive axle, the eActros 600 can achieve a 500-kilometer range without intermediate charging. The tour’s objective is to use only public charging stations.
