When Mercedes-Benz Trucks boss Karin Rådström stood in front of the world’s press last November and announced that the new eActros 600 battery-powered truck could do 500km on a single charge while running at 40 tonnes, we took what she said with a pinch of salt. After all, electric vehicle manufacturers have a reputation for massaging the figures in their favour. What’s more, it has 621kWh of installed battery capacity, which is pretty much the same as the Scania 45R/S, yet the Swedes quote an official figure of 350km. It strikes us that someone is telling porkies!
So, when Commercial Motor was invited to France to get behind the wheel of an eActros 600 to complete a stage of its 18,000km European Testing Tour 2024, we jumped at the chance. After all, this would be a chance to prove Mercedes wrong. And that’s exactly what we set out to do...
Mercedes certainly couldn’t be accused of rushing the eActros 600 to market. It’s been teasing us with details of its zero-tailpipe-emission long-haul truck for at least two years, and although it has already received 1,000 confirmed orders, full production won’t start until the end of the year.Talking about the long development programme, Mercedes-Benz Truck engineer Dirk Stranz, who joins us in the passenger seat for our 400km drive from Poitiers to Rouen, says: “There are two ways to develop an electric truck. One is to convert an existing diesel truck and attempt to sell these non-optimum vehicles. The other is to design it as an electric truck from the outset. We believe in the technology and go for the second option.” Proof of this is Mercedes’ 13-tonne electric axle (E-axle), which incorporates twin motors and a 4-speed transmission. The E-axle does away with the need for a prop-shaft, so freeing up chassis space. It’s in this area, between the two chassis rails, that you’ll find three 207kWh LFP battery packs, all mounted at 90 degrees to the driving direction. According to Stranz, this is the safest position for the batteries in the event of an accident.
Mercedes’ new aerodynamic ProCabin stands prominently on top. This sleek cab, protruding by 80mm and featuring smooth, curved surfaces, is engineered to enhance airflow by 9% compared with the current model. This improvement translates to a 2-3% increase in fuel efficiency. The ProCabin, available in StreamSpace, BigSpace, and GigaSpace variants, will soon also feature on diesel-powered Actros Ls with 2.5m-wide cabs and level floors. Our test truck, fitted with a StreamSpace cab, is a late prototype. It is followed on this journey by another test vehicle manned by two MercedesBenz Trucks engineers. This second truck is distinct in having an aerodynamic package, which includes 315/70R22.5 tyres, plastic wheel infills, and no sun visor. Along with new side skirts on 4x2 tractors, these features further improve fuel economy by a claimed 2-3%.
Behind the wheel, the eActros 600 retains the familiar feel of the Actros, featuring its same uncluttered dashboard, digital instrument cluster, and large digital information screen. The main difference from the combustion-engined version is the right dial, which provides comprehensive information on the state of charge. It clearly indicates whether you’re propelling or recuperating. Between the two dials, a figure for kWh per 100km is displayed – effectively the new mpg for electric trucks. On average, a 40-tonne electric truck consumes about 120kWh/100km (1.20kWh/ km). Mercedes allows access to 95% of the truck’s 612kWh battery, equating to 600kWh (which is where the truck gets its name). By dividing 600 by 1.20, you get 500, which explains the truck’s claimed 500km range.
The Mercedes eActros 600 offers three distinct performance modes: Power, Economy and Range. In Power mode, you access 100% of the available power, though not the full potential 860hp to preserve tyre life. Economy mode provides 85% power, balancing performance and efficiency. Range mode, designed to maximise distance when the battery is low, offers 70% power. Additionally, a boost mode acts like a kickdown, delivering a quick surge of extra power when necessary. We reset the trip computer, select Economy mode, and set off onto the motorway.
We won’t spend much time discussing the driving characteristics of the eActros 600. We provided a comprehensive driving impression in CM 6 June, and besides, and in recent months we’ve exhausted the thhesaurus searching for synonyms for ‘quiet’.
Mercedes has certainly chosen ideal conditions for our 400km drive. The temperature is a warm 32°C, and traffic is minimal. It’s mid-July, and while a convoy of Dutch and British holidaymakers tow their caravans on the southbound carriageway, few are heading north with us. There are no trucks on the road since it’s a Saturday, and French law requires them to be parked. We have special dispensation as we aren’t operating for hire or reward.
The eActros automatically recognises we’re on a French motorway, displaying a 90kph sign on the dashboard to indicate our maximum speed. Initially, we set the adaptive cruise control to the legal maximum. However, Stranz advises setting it to 85kph, matching the speed of the second truck,which will allow a realistic comparison at the end of the route. We do what he says, with a tolerance of +/-5kph.
A quick glance at the dial shows we’ve averaged a poor 144kWh/100km (1.44kWh/km) so far, translating to a range of approximately 416km by our calculations. We knew it all along! Annoyingly, however, this figure gradually starts to improve.
On the route, we encounter some relatively steep inclines, causing the truck to shift from fourth to third gear. The change is astonishingly quick, and if not for the display, it would have gone unnoticed. On one particularly steep drag, our speed drops to 50kph, which feels considerably slower than it is – probably because we can’t hear a combustion engine working hard beneath us. Just then, we notice the ‘boost ready’ indicator on the dashboard. We don’t hesitate. The dials light up like an erupting volcano. The additional 15% power makes all the difference, and when we crest the hill, we’re back in top gear. Despite the climb, average consumption is now 120kWh/100km (1.2kWh/km), and it’s about to improve further. What goes up must come down, and thanks to recuperation, consumption drops to 112kWh/100km (1.12kWh/km) by the time we reach the bottom of the hill.
Stranz highlights the crucial role of low rolling resistance tyres in electric trucks, noting that their impact on efficiency surpasses that of their combustion-engine counterparts. The better the rolling resistance, the better the energy recovery. We are running on Continentals. At times, we encounter a toll booth, providing an opportunity to test the five-stage electric motor brake. This system delivers a continuous power of 400kW, with a peak of 600kW, and the display shows energy being returned to the batteries. Despite enthusiastic acceleration when leaving the toll, consumption remains steady at 108kWh/100km (1.08kWh/km) for several miles.
We’re four hours into our drive when we realise that we haven’t given MirrorCam a second thought. The mirror replacement system feels perfectly natural to use. This is the second-generation system, which features smaller camera arms that don’t protrude as much, reducing the risk of being occupied about 30% of the image; now, it’s down to roughly 10%. This change provides less vehicle reference and more visibility of the surroundings. It works well, and when we stop for our 45-minute break, we find that it also makes reversing easier.
The consumption figure has dropped to 105kWh/100km (1.05kWh/km) now, and as we set off for the last hour the figure continues to improve. We had even left the air-conditioning on during our break, but that only consumed 4kWh of energy.
- This article was previoulsy published in Commercial Motor, to subscribe see the latest Commercial Motor subscription offer
