Benz EV trial units ready

Local Validation Trials For Battery

electric Mercedes-Benz trucks set to begin later this year are a step closer to reality with units bound for Australia and New Zealand rolling off the production line in Worth, Germany.

Six zero emission trucks will take part in the local validation programme - four eActros and one eEconic set to operate with fleets in Australia, while one eActros will be tested in New Zealand.

The focus of the eActros is for heavy-duty short radius distribution and development trucks have been working away near-silently in select fleets in Europe since 2018.

The eEconic has been in operation in Europe since May 2022 and the unit bound for Australia will be used for waste collection in urban areas.

Both Mercedes-Benz electric trucks have received full approval to operate on Australian roads as both have been designed to fit within our region’s width restrictions. As a result, there are no operation restrictions and customers do not require any specific permits regarding Australian Design Rule exemptions for the Mercedes-Benz trucks.

The eActros and eEconic are largely built on the same production lines as diesel-powered trucks at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks factory in Worth, with this flexibility ensuring efficient production.

The trucks are then transferred to the Future Truck Centre area, where they are equipped with electric drive components.

Globally, Daimler Truck is committed to advancing battery electric technology for trucks and buses and is also working on hydrogen fuel cell technology that is well suited to the requirements of longer distances at higher weights. T&D