Mercedes-Benz Trucks delivers first eActros 600 e-trucks to customers

After kicking off series production in November, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered the first eActros 600 long-haul electric heavy trucks to customers. By the end of the year, around 50 units will be handed over to German customers, who have received a state subsidy from the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport for their purchase.

After first presenting the production-ready eActros 600 in October 2023, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered the first units of its long-haul electric truck just over a year later. The 44-ton truck boasts a driving range of around 500 km on a single charge and is compatible with Megawatt charging to boost the daily driving range to over 1,000 km.

Production of the eActros 600 kicked off in the Mannheim (Germany) factory in November, after a final, 13,000-km test tour across Europe for real-world validation and to gather realistic energy consumption data across different topographies and climate areas.

Subsidy for German customers in 2024

Now, several German transport firms can rejoice, as they are the first to receive their series-production eActros 600 models. Customers include August Gschwander Transport GmbH, Blue Känguru GmbH, Brummer Logistik GmbH, Contargo GmbH & Co. KG, CONTRAIL-Transport GmbH & Co. KG, DENKINGER Internationale Spedition GmbH, Ralf Reyser Transporte & Logistik, SCHADE Logistic GmbH and Wessels Holding GmbH & Co. KG.

The fact that German customers were chosen as the first to receive their Mercedes eActros 600 trucks is not a coincidence. It was important that they receive their electric trucks this year to benefit from the German “Climate-friendly commercial vehicles and infrastructure” (KsNI) funding program for eTrucks, which aimed to compensate for the additional costs of e-trucks. This program was scrapped in February 2024, but existing applications would still be funded.

Now, Mercedes-Benz Trucks can focus on producing the rest of the backlog. According to the manufacturer, over 1,000 orders for the eActros 600 have already been recorded, with “a four-digit figure with letters of intent, too.”

Mercedes eActros 600: key specs

The eActros 600 uses three battery packs of 207 kWh, with a total capacity of 621 kWh. Mercedes-Benz Trucks promises that the batteries will retain over 80% of their capacity after 1.2 million kilometers and ten years of use.

The electric rear axle is powered by two 800-volt electric motors, which generate a continuous output of 400 kW (544 hp) with a peak power output of 600 kW (816 hp). In a 44-ton configuration, the electric truck should be able to carry around 22 tons with a standard semitrailer.

Mercedes claims a range of over 500 km between charges, with a daily driving range of over 1,000 km if drivers can charge during mandatory stops. In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later enable megawatt charging (MCS).