Belgian Eutraco electrifies fleet with 50 e-Actros 600 trucks

Belgian, West Flanders logistics company Eutraco is buying 50 eActros 600 trucks from Mercedes-Benz, representing an investment of 14 million euros. With that move, the company is electrifying a third of its fleet, making it the first logistics player in Belgium to have such a large fleet of e-trucks, according to the company. “Sustainable transport with e-trucks is possible at the same cost as diesel trucks.”

Currently, Eutraco has a fleet of 160 diesel vehicles. But by the end of 2025, the diesel trucks will disappear step by step, as the first of 50 Mercedes e-Actros trucks will be delivered. This will mark the beginning of the complete electrification of the transporter’s fleet, which operates mainly in Benelux and France.

Strategic choice for sustainable transport

“It is a clear, strategic choice for us to go fully for sustainable transport,” says Serge Gregoir, CEO of Eutraco. “Unlike hydrogen-powered trucks, vehicles powered by electricity are already technologically advanced. They have a range of 500 km and can be quickly recharged, which fits perfectly within our core business.”

Eutraco’s various sites in Belgium, particularly in Willebroek, Ghent, and Roeselare, will now be further equipped with charging stations, charging plazas, and large batteries. Thus, all trucks will be able to be charged at their own sites with up to 75% green electricity from their own solar panels combined with their own battery systems.

Cost price after eight years the same as that of a diesel

“We notice that our customers are showing interest in carbon neutrality,” Gregoir says. Still, according to Gregoir, an e-truck is more expensive than a diesel model when purchased. But if you look at the total cost of ownership, the cost after eight years is the same as that of a diesel.

Loading time of half an hour

The eActros 600 is considered one of the showpieces of Daimler Truck, the maker of Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses. The truck, technically designed for a combined gross vehicle weight of up to 44 tons, features a battery capacity of 600 kWh, thanks to three battery packs based on lithium iron phosphate cell technology. This technology, Megawatt charging, can charge the battery from 20 to 80% in half an hour. The range is around 500 km.

According to Daimler Truck, over 1,000 orders had been placed for the eActros 600 in May, a vehicle also described by users as very maneuverable.

According to the manufacturer, over its entire life span of around ten years or 1,2 million kilometers driven from production to the end of its service life, the eActros 600 saves up to 80% CO2eq emissions, depending on the electricity mix. E-trucks are generally much less noisy or about half as loud as diesel trucks.