Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul battery-powered truck undergoes winter tests

Mercedes-Benz is conducting winter tests on its eActros LongHaul ahead of the battery-powered truck’s autumn world premier.

Recent pictures of a heavily camouflaged truck undergoing trials in Rovaniemi, Finland, clearly reveal a revised cab, which is likely to be rolled-out across the entire Mercedes Actros range.

Dr Christof Weber, head of global testing at Mercedes-Benz Truck, said: "Testing our product range under extreme winter conditions is an essential part of our vehicle development in terms of alternative drives. Haulage companies must be able to rely on our electric trucks in a highly competitive environment at any time of year, just as they are used to from conventionally powered vehicles. For this reason, our test engineers in Finland put the vehicles through their paces for six weeks." 

The tests, which took place in temperatures as low as -25C, concentrated on the effects of extreme cold on handling, ergonomics, safety and comfort. 

Thermal and energy management systems were also subjected to intensive trials, ensuring that both the drivetrain and the cab’s interior are temperature-controlled correctly. Weber said tests revealed that the eActros LongHaul heats its cab faster than a diesel truck. However, seeing as this has a detrimental affect on the vehicle’s maximum range, Weber said pre-conditioning of the electric truck at a charging station is advisable.

"We are very satisfied with our test results,” he declared. “The tests of the batteries and electric drivetrain properties at extreme temperatures or of the vehicle's driving properties on slick, icy roads show that even in very wintry conditions, our battery-powered trucks are fully operational."

The eActros LongHaul was first shown in concept form at the IAA Transportation Show in Hannover last autumn, where it won the 2023 Truck Innovation Award. It is powered by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, and when it goes into series production in 2024, will have a maximum range of 500km on a single charge.