Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ long-range electric truck, the eActros 600, passed rigorous tests with flying colors in summer temperatures of up to 111F (44C).
Engineers tested a prototype of the eActros 600 in extreme heat in Andalusia, Spain. For five weeks, everything from its electric powertrain and battery thermal management, to its air conditioning system, to its fast charging speed was put through the paces in the face of high temperatures.
After the extreme heat tests were completed, the eActros 600 successfully drove over 2,000 km (1,243 miles) from Granada via Valencia and Barcelona in Spain, then via Montpellier and Lyon in France, to its final destination at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks development and testing center in Wörth am Rhein, Germany.
Dr. Konrad Götz, deputy head of global testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said:
After winter testing in Finland in freezing cold temperatures down to -25C and initial tests on public roads, the electric truck now had to prove itself at over 40C in Spain. The eActros 600 mastered the challenging tests with ease. In the next step, we’re now looking forward to testing in real-life operation with our customers.
The eActros 600 has three lithium-iron phosphate battery packs and an installed total capacity of over 600 kWh in series production. It has two electric motors with an output of 400 kW and a peak output of over 600 kW.
In September, Mercedes said it would have a range of “around 500 km” (310 miles) on a single charge. The long-haul electric truck is designed to charge from 20-80% in under 30 minutes. Engineers have designed the eActros 600 to deliver 1.2 million km on the road over 10 years.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks is going to manufacture both a tractor unit and rigid variants of the eActros 600 at market launch.
The eActros 600 will make its official debut on October 10, and it’s expected to go into production in 2024.
Photos: Daimler AG
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