All-electric Actros trucks complete 3,000km drive from Germany to Turkey

Three all-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros, which began their drive through five European countries on May 2 from the Mercedes-Benz Worth plant to Aksaray in Turkey, have completed their over 3,000km journey. Mercedes-Benz Trucks will be conducting road endurance and reliability testing of the electric truck at its site in Turkey.

Test engineers chose a route across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria for the trip. Two eActros as two and three-axle vehicles – in series production since the end of 2021 – accompanied the eActros 300 Tractor along the entire route. The batteries of all the electric trucks were only charged at publicly available charging stations throughout the tour.

Dr. Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said: “In preparation for the impending start of series production for the eActros 300 Tractor in autumn, road endurance testing will take place at our Aksaray site, among other locations. We also used the demanding route there as an additional test. Our conclusion: The e-truck has mastered the varied route through Central and Southeastern Europe with ease, and is ready for series production.”

When driving to Turkey, test engineers focused in particular on safety systems, performance and durability of the vehicle. With regard to the electric drive, for example, the functionality of the range forecast, recuperation and flawless connectivity with charging stations abroad were important aspects. Both the varied and demanding topography as well as the different climatic conditions offered good conditions for extensive vehicle testing during operation.

eActros 300 Tractor ready for series production

The vehicle is compatible with all common European semitrailers, taking into account the maximum permitted total tractor/trailer combination length. The electric semitrailer tractor is based on the same technology as the eActros 300/400. Three battery packs, each with an installed battery capacity of 112 kWh, enable a range of up to 220km on a single battery charge.

The eActros 300 Tractor can be charged with up to 160 kW: The three battery packs need a little more than an hour to be charged from 20 to 80 percent at a standard DC fast charging station with a charging current of 400 A. As part of a series of tests, the electric truck already successfully passed the Arlberg Pass in Austria last year. Some sections of the tests were carried out at an altitude of over 1,800 metres above sea level. Series production of the e-truck is scheduled to start around September this year.

The eActros 300 Tractor was accompanied by two eActros 300 (4x2 and 6x2). The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros for heavy-duty distribution haulage has been rolling off the production line at the Wörth plant since 2021. The batteries of the eActros comprise either three (eActros 300) or four battery packs (eActros 400), each of which offers an installed capacity of 112 kWh. With four battery packs, the eActros 400 boasts a range of up to 400 kilometres.

The technological centrepiece is the drive unit – an electric rigid axle with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission. Both liquid-cooled motors generate a continuous output of 330 kW as well as a peak performance of 400 kW. In addition, when driving with foresight, electrical energy can be recovered through recuperation. The energy gained when braking is fed back into the batteries of the eActros, and is then once more available for driving.