Amazon has announced an order of 200 fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 heavy-duty trucks from Daimler, marking its largest electric truck purchase to date.
The trucks will be deployed on high-mileage routes across Amazon’s middle-mile network, which connects fulfillment centers, sort centers, and delivery stations in Germany and the UK. This is a key step in Amazon’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Andreas Marschner, Vice President of Amazon Worldwide Operations Sustainability, called the order a “major milestone,” highlighting the difficulty of decarbonizing the heavy goods sector. The eActros 600 trucks, each capable of covering 500 kilometers (311 miles) on a single charge, are deemed suitable for Amazon’s delivery needs.
While electric trucks have struggled to match the range of their diesel counterparts, Amazon is investing in the necessary charging infrastructure.
The company will build a 360-kilowatt fast charger network at its own sites to support the fleet, enabling the trucks to charge from 20% to 80% in under an hour, a time that aligns with mandatory driver breaks.
However, Marschner noted that the availability of public charging infrastructure in key transportation corridors across the UK and Germany remains limited, posing challenges for wide-scale adoption.
