Mercedes eActros electric semi debuts with 330-mile range

Daimler Truck on Tuesday unveiled the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, the latest addition to its eActros family of electric semi-trailer trucks and the version with the current highest range.

A recent test demonstrated the truck completing a 330-mile haul across the Alps with a gross weight of 80,000 pounds. Daimler Truck said the eActros 600 can carry a maximum payload of 48,500 pounds using a standard trailer. The truck’s maximum gross weight is 97,000 pounds.

With the truck charged during a mandatory driver break, the eActros 600 would be able to complete a 660-mile trip. Such a distance is comparable to the range of current diesel trucks.

Daimler Truck also has 300 and 400 versions of the eActros that deliver around 205 and 250 miles of range, respectively. Tesla quotes a 500-mile range for its Semi with a gross weight of 81,000 pounds.

2024 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600

The eActros 600 features three individual battery packs with a combined capacity of 621 kwh. The batteries have lithium-iron-phosphate cells, and can be charged at rates of up up to 400 kw using a CCS charger. Like the batteries in the Tesla Semi, the batteries in the eActros 600 also support megawatt charging. According to Daimler Truck, the batteries could be charged from 20-80% in about 30 minutes using a megawatt charger.

Drive comes from two electric motors designed to deliver a continuous output of 536 hp and a temporary peak of 804 hp. The motors are mounted on a single axle and connect with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Two power take-offs are found on the truck, one a mechanical take-off and the other an electric take-off (AC or DC).

Daimler Truck said the eActros 600 is designed to the same durability requirements of its diesel trucks, meaning owners can expect to cover 745,000 miles over 10 years without major issues. After this period, the company expects the batteries to still deliver around 80% of the original range.

2024 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600

Daimler Truck has also fitted the truck with multiple safety features, including sensors that give the truck a 270-degree view. These sensors provide data to electronic driver-assist features like forward and turning collision warning with automatic emergency braking and detection of pedestrians and cyclists. There’s also lane change assist that monitors the length of the trailer and can steer the truck back into its original lane if the driver fails to notice a car in the adjacent lane.

Production of the eActros 600 starts in late 2024. Daimler Truck is also testing an eActros prototype fitted with a hydrogen fuel cell stack in place of the batteries. A recent test saw the hydrogen-electric truck cover 650 miles with a single fill of hydrogen.

The eActros is marketed as a Mercedes but Daimler Truck has a number of commercial vehicle brands in its portfolio. The company also controls the Freightliner, Western Star, Fuso, BharatBenz, and Rizon truck brands, as well as multiple bus brands, and some of these have their own zero-emission offerings.