Daimler prepares for Mercedes eActros 600 production in November

With series production of its first ‘long-range’ electric heavy truck, the Mercedes eActros 600, kicking off next month, Daimler Truck is getting the Mannheim factory ready. One of the most critical components, the front box, has already started production. But what is it?

The front box is a multi-component module that contains many of the parts necessary for the electric drive of the Mercedes eActros 600, although it isn’t strictly part of the drivetrain—the eActros 600 uses an eAxle, with two electric motors driving the rear wheels directly. The front box has a layered design to fit the space previously occupied by the Actros’s combustion engine.

Front box in place of the diesel engine

The front box contains over 1,000 individual parts, including several control units, high-voltage components, and an electric air compressor. The front box assembly line consists of four consecutive production sections, where the production personnel build up the individual levels one after the other, passing through “quality gate” inspection zones to verify the correct assembly.

The front box is the next step in kicking off the production of the Mercedes eActros 600 in Mannheim at the end of November 2024. The first vehicles will be completed and registered before the end of the year. Other key components come from Gaggenau and Kassel, where the axle and transmission are assembled.

The 500-km range between charges, Megawatt charging

To recall, 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 also enable megawatt charging (MCS).

According to Stina Fagerman, head of marketing, sales, and services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the manufacturer has already recorded over 1,000 orders for the eActros 600, with “a four-digit figure with letters of intent, too.” In May, Daimler Truck kicked off a 13,000-km European test tour to gather real-world data before the start of production.