Iveco S-eWay review

You might think that Iveco regrets its decision to jump into bed with Nikola, but the European truck maker certainly isn’t doing the walk of shame. “I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives,” says a defiant Luca Sra, president of Iveco’s truck business unit, when we ask him if he regrets the ill-fated partnership with the US start-up company. “Nikola was a tremendous facilitator and accelerator on our journey, and if it wasn’t for that relationship, I don’t think we would be here in this place with the technology we have.”

The ‘place’ he’s referring to is Iveco’s zero-tailpipe-emission factory in Ulm, Germany, and the ‘technology’ relates to the two offspring from the relationship that Iveco gets custody of: the battery-electric S-eWay and its fuel cell sibling. Meanwhile, the Nikola Tre will be growing up with an American accent!

Most children resemble one parent more than the other, and the S-eWay is no exception. It definitely takes after its father! But then that’s not surprising considering that the S-Way cab and most of the hardware on this truck, were supplied by Iveco.

The only obvious indicators that this vehicle is battery-powered are the splashes of blue on the grille and the S-eWay badge on the driver’s door. However, don’t let its familiar appearance deceive you into thinking that Iveco has merely electrified a diesel tractor. Unlike many of its competitors, this vehicle was designed to be electrically powered from the outset. It’s one of the few BEVs on the market equipped with an eAxle, considered the holy grail of electric trucks. Developed in-house by Fiat Powertrain (FPT), the dual-motor eAxle provides 480kW of continuous power and 1,800Nm of torque. One significant advantage of an eAxle is the elimination of the propshaft, creating extra space between the chassis rails. Iveco has utilised this gap to install three lithium-ion batteries, with another six positioned outside the chassis rails. The nine 82kWh batteries, supplied by Proterra in the US and Microvast in China, weigh a total of 4 tonnes. Using a 350kW charger, it takes just 90 minutes to charge the batteries to 80%.

Ask anyone which electric truck currently has the longest range, and they’re likely to say, “the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600”. The German manufacturer has done an excellent job of promoting its long-haul BEV’s capability to cover 500km on a single charge. However, you might be surprised to learn that the S-eWay boasts the same range, although this drops to around 450km on a cold day. Iveco claims it could extend the mileage further if it followed Mercedes’ approach of using a 94% SOC window for its batteries. Instead, Iveco has chosen an 85% SOC to preserve battery life. Unlike the eActros 600, which has yet to enter series production, Iveco has already delivered more than 40 S-eWays to customers.

Sitting behind the wheel, everything feels rather familiar, except for the massive 17in touchscreen infotainment display in the centre of the dashboard. This screen houses the sat-nav, audio, and climate control functions. By moving various controls to the screen, Iveco has been able to eliminate a number of physical buttons, resulting in a clutter-free dashboard.

In front of the driver is a 12.8in digital display, although it’s not the same as the one in the 2024 model year S-Way. Despite the large space, the actual dials are small, contain limited information, and cannot be configured to personal preferences, leaving a lot of blank space. Iveco presents this positively, claiming it is “designed to show only the most relevant information to reduce cognitive load”. Both screens were developed by Nikola, but their days are numbered. When the next generation of S-eWay arrives, which CM understands will be within a year, you can anticipate seeing a lot less Nikola influence.

After pressing the starter button, selecting ‘D’ from the dash-mounted gearbox controls, and manually releasing the electronic handbrake, we quietly head out onto the streets of Ulm. The first thing we notice is just how silent the truck is, followed by the unexpectedly loud sound of the indicators. Normally drowned out by a combustion engine, their tapping now resembles the persistent sound of someone hammering in a nail. The only other noise comes from the bunk, likely to be a loose strap rubbing against the frame. Small sounds like these, barely noticeable in a diesel truck, become incredibly frustrating when you’re gliding along in near silence.

Iveco launched its mirror replacement system last autumn, and the first examples are now appearing in new European trucks. Though currently unnamed, Iveco internally refers to it as ‘mirror-cam’, and the hardware comes from the same company that supplies Mercedes’ MirrorCam system. Interestingly, while it is an option for combustion-engined trucks, it cannot be specified on the S-eWay due to incompatibility with the Nikola-developed software. However, this is expected to change very soon.

Performance is staggeringly good. Having driven many electric trucks, we are convinced this is the fastest yet. With a peak power of 480kW (653hp), it’s not the most powerful battery-powered truck on the market, but it certainly feels like it is. Acceleration is blisteringly quick, and we were genuinely shocked to discover we were running at 36 tonnes rather than unladen. The rapid acceleration is likely to be due to Iveco’s efficient single-speed transmission. We wonder what effect this will have on tyre wear.

The truck features the S-Way’s familiar steering column-mounted six-stage engine brake, which now operates the braking recuperation system. Using it to slow down and eventually bring the truck to a standstill quickly becomes second nature. When driven sensibly, with the driver anticipating the road ahead, the foot brake becomes redundant except for the most demanding braking situations.

As we drive around Ulm, we pass an Iveco Eurocargo 12-tonner delivering drinks to a restaurant. This prompts us to ask the expert in the passenger seat why Iveco has chosen to electrify the long-haul S-Way while seemingly ignoring the lighter Eurocargo. Given that many of these rigid trucks are used for urban distribution, zero-tailpipeemission applications would seem ideal. We are surprised to learn that this decision is due to low volumes. The Eurocargo’s largest market is the UK; elsewhere in Europe, they are primarily used as sweepers or tippers, with limited demand. For example, volumes in Germany are as low as 300 units per year. Additionally, Iveco has already electrified the Daily.

As we arrive back at the factory, we notice an odd-looking button on the steering wheel and inquire about its function. We learn that it turns off he side marker lights, a feature used in the US to thank truck drivers who have flashed their lights to signal safe merging after an overtaking manoeuvre. It’s another legacy from Nikola.

The drive has been a wonderful experience. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: from a driver’s perspective, electric trucks are bliss. However, for most operators, the story is quite different due to minimal incentives, a woefully inadequate charging infrastructure, and eye-watering upfront purchase prices.

Unlike the diesel- and gas-powered S-Ways produced in Madrid, the S-eWay and S-eWay fuel cell trucks are assembled at a revitalised Stralis facility in Ulm, Germany, adjacent to the Magirus factory. This refurbishment, costing €14m, has enabled a highly specialised assembly process that spans 14 workstations, each taking 90 minutes, resulting in a labour-intensive build time of three days per truck. Currently, the factory operates on a single shift, but can scale up to three shifts, allowing for the production of up to 3,000 trucks annually. Interestingly, Iveco recently sold Magirus, which now operates as a tenant. This move potentially paves the way for Iveco to further expand its production capacity in the future.

Having spent some time in this truck, we are inclined to agree with Sra about Iveco’s former relationship with Nikola. The products of that brief but fruitful collaboration are indeed impressive.

Like most divorces where children are involved, there is still contact between the two parties. Iveco continues to supply S-Ways to its former partner for conversion into Tre fuel cell trucks in Arizona. However, looking ahead, we can see them growing further apart. By the time the next-generation S-eWay is launched (which will also be available in right-hand drive), almost all traces of Nikola will have been eradicated.

Iveco clearly hasn’t been deterred by the Nikola encounter. Earlier this year, it announced another partnership, this time with Ford Otosan in Turkey to jointly develop a new cab. Given the long gestation period for a cab, the results of this new relationship aren’t likely to be revealed until 2028.

 - This article was previoulsy published in Commercial Motor, to subscribe see the latest Commercial Motor subscription offer