Daimler Trucks has unveiled the new Mercedes-Benz eActros, the brand's first series-production electric truck. It comes with the latest Mercedes-Benz technology at all levels and a range of up to 400 kilometres in real-life conditions. In 2016, the prototype of the Mercedes-Benz eActros was presented and in 2018, tests began with ten functional prototypes, in collaboration with customers in Germany and other European countries. And now, finally, Mercedes has unveiled the final version of the new Mercedes-Benz eActros, its first series-production electric truck.
With the electric Mercedes-Benz eActros, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks division kicks off a new era in which the goal is to achieve carbon-neutral road freight. And we are facing a 25-ton fully electric truck, powered by the energy stored in its batteries, which does not emit any type of polluting gases(it does not even have an exhaust pipe).
The core of the new Mercedes-Benz eActros is the electric power unit: an electric axle (eAxle) with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission. The two liquid-cooled electric motors generate a continuous power of 330 kW (449 hp), with a maximum output of 400 kW (544 hp).
Its electric drive will allow the truck to be used during the night hours and it will be able to enter urban centres with noise restrictions at night, in addition to the obvious advantages in terms of air pollution. This is also an advantage for the driver: under full load, the cabin of the eActros is 10 dB quieter than in a diesel Mercedes-Benz Actros, about half the perceptible volume.
Depending on the version, the new Mercedes-Benz eActros electric truck draws its power from three or four lithium-ion battery packs, each with a capacity of around 105 kWh. In the version with four battery packs, a maximum capacity of 420 kWh is achieved, thanks to which up to 400 kilometres of autonomy can be achieved in real conditions, according to Mercedes. It is a substantial improvement over the last information we had on the test prototypes, which Mercedes announced had 200 kilometres of autonomy.
To recharge its batteries, the Mercedes-Benz eActros electric truck supports fast charging with a direct current at 160 kW of power. According to the manufacturer's data, the version with three battery packs (315 kWh) takes just over an hour to charge from 20 to 80 %. Mercedes has not specified the charging time in the version with the largest battery, although an estimate of just over an hour and a half for a 20 to 80% recharge seems quite logical.
The first Mercedes-Benz eActros electric trucks are scheduled to roll off the production line in Germany starting next autumn. Close collaboration with customers has led to the incorporation into the standard equipment of technologies such as MirrorCam or the digital instrument panel 'Multimedia Cockpit Interactive', as well as an ecosystem of advice and services around the electric vehicle to make life more comfortable for future customers and operators of this truck. It includes several digital solutions to optimize usage costs, creating a logbook with detailed information on driving, idle and recharging times, or tracking truck locations in real-time.
As in the Mercedes-Benz electric passenger cars, the digital instrument panel provides information on the level of charge of the batteries, the remaining range, the current and average energy consumption. The digital panel is complemented by the dashboard screen, which gives access to the multimedia section, the browser, environmental cameras, and so much more. By the way, if you are looking for the rearview mirrors, you should know that the Mercedes-Benz eActros electric truck has digital mirrors that project the image of several cameras.
Last but not least, the security section is another great asset of the Mercedes-Benz eActros. It has the Sideguard Assist system, a kind of blind spot control to avoid hitting pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a turn. The fifth generation of the Active Brake Assist emergency braking system is standard.
The battery has aluminium protection elements that mount sensors to detect an imminent crash. In such a case, the high-voltage battery is automatically isolated. In addition, to ensure that it is easier to hear for other road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists ( the Mercedes-Benz eActros electric truck is focused on city delivery), it comes standard with an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS).
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