Daimler Truck set to launch series production of fully-electric heavy truck
Daimler Truck set to launch series production of fully-electric heavy truck
Daimler Truck said on Sunday it will start series production of its battery electric heavy-duty truck, the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, in November. The decision is a part of a broader strategy to switch the company’s focus to electric vehicles. Since the commencement of the sale in the later part of the year, it has received 2000 order bookings for the eActros 600. While Daimler Truck has not released the price of the truck, the company has said the initial cost is about 2. 5 times higher than that of similar models powered by diesel fuel.
Indeed, in the beginning, the auxiliary unit will cost more, yet Karin Radstrom, heading the Mercedes-Benz Truck Unit and soon to become Daimler Truck CEO, noted that its energy efficiency would compensate for the cost difference and are attractive for operators of fleets.
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, which is planned to be built at the Woerth am Rhein plant in Germany, will coexist with diesel vehicles. The mechanical monster can travel up to 500 kilometers with one battery charge, and it is designed to transport up to 22 tonnes of cargo.
By comparison, Daimler Truck’s diesel models can carry up to 25 tons and travel an average of 1,600 km per refuelling. On the other hand, competitor from Sweden, Volvo has launched its model FH Electric truck which has a range of 600 kilometers on a single charge.
A McKinsey study revealed, for example, that to make zero-emission trucks a proper competitor to diesel-powered vehicles, their cost must be cut by up to half. Being the most recent development in a lifecycle, this move by Daimler Truck fits into a growing trend of striving for greener solutions in truck production and use, which establishes a background for further innovations in the electric vehicle industry.
