Amazon places largest-ever order of 200 Mercedes eActros 600 e-trucks

E-commerce giant Amazon has placed an order of more than 200 Mercedes eActros 600 electric heavy trucks, the largest order of e-trucks to date by the American company and also a new record for manufacturer Daimler Truck.

The e-trucks will be used in Germany and the UK to transport more than 350 million packages yearly across Amazon’s ‘middle-mile’ network.

Amazon participated in the pre-production testing program for the Mercedes eActros 600 ‘long-haul’ electric heavy truck, using a near-series prototype in one of its logistics centers in Germany. The test was clearly a success, as the American e-commerce giant has now placed its largest order of electric trucks so far.

200 new e-trucks and fast-chargers on-site

Starting later this year, Amazon will use more than 140 eActros 600 trucks in the UK and more than 50 units in Germany. To complement the electric long-haul trucks, which have a range of around 500 km on a full battery, Amazon is also installing 360-kilowatt fast-chargers on its own sites. These chargers can charge their electric trucks from 20 to 80% in less than an hour, extending the daily range further.

“The major transportation corridors in the UK and Germany are still very limited with public charging and high-capacity charging we would need for trucks,” Andreas Marschner, Vice President of Amazon Worldwide Operations Sustainability, told Reuters. “This is a challenge as it reduces the ability to use these assets.”

Net-zero by 2040

Amazon aims to hit net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040, which will rely heavily on emissions-free road transport. Currently, the company has 38 electric heavy trucks on the road in Europe. An investment of around 1 billion euros is being used to electrify its European fleet in the coming years.

Mercedes eActros 600: key specs

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 enable megawatt charging (MCS) later.