Two eActros 600 test trucks have reached their southernmost checkpoint of Tarifa
The two electric trucks in the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024” have reached a major checkpoint after a 32-day test drive through 18 countries so far.
The two near-series-production eActros 600 prototypes reached Tarifa, the southernmost point in mainland Europe. The vehicles were charged exclusively at public charging points over the 10,697 kilometers travelled to Tarifa. One charging stop was made per day, always at the end of the respective daily stage.
Dr Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks says, “The tour so far has shown us that battery-powered long-haul transport is already possible in Europe today. The two eActros 600 prototypes have proven to be extremely reliable companions – in demanding landscapes as well as in wind, rainy weather or outside temperatures above 30 degrees. The range of 500 kilometers on one battery charge and the 40-ton gross combination mass specified by us have been proven to be realistic. Up to this point on the tour, we have only charged at public charging points. On the northern stage, we were almost always able to approach the charging station overlay with the complete semitrailer. However, as we continued on our route to the south, it became clear that we would have to unhitch the towing machine to access some of the charging station overlays.”
The two battery-electric eActros 600 vehicles officially began their test tour through Europe in Frankfurt am Main on June 11. After their journey north through Germany, Denmark and Sweden, the two trucks reached the first major stage highlight in time for midsummer: the North Cape in Norway, Europe’s northernmost point accessible by road. From the end of June, the convoy, with a gross combination mass of 40 tons for each truck, travelled south through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, France and Spain.
After the stop in Tarifa, the journey will head north again – through Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg back to Germany. The e-trucks are expected to return home later this week.
With the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024”, Mercedes-Benz Trucks intends to gain extensive experience on a wide range of routes in different topographies and climate zones with an eye on energy consumption. The manufacturer intends to then share these findings with interested customers.
The high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt hours and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house enable the eActros 600 to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging. The intention for the tour is to charge the batteries exclusively at public charging stations.
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