DB Schenker, a leading global logistics provider, has announced its plans to acquire 100 battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul trucks for its long-haul operations in Europe. The company has signed a letter of intent with Daimler Truck, the manufacturer of the electric trucks. However, it is unclear when the letter of intent will become a binding order.
The eActros LongHaul is expected to be ready for series production in 2024 and uses LFP cells made by CATL. The electric truck has a range of around 500 kilometres and must meet the same requirements for durability as a conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros during the testing phase. This means covering 1.2 million kilometres of mileage in ten years of operation.
The eActros LongHaul is designed for long-distance traffic and can be recharged as much as possible within the legally prescribed driving breaks. The electric truck is known to support megawatt charging with the new MCS standard, which allows the battery to be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in “well under 30 minutes.” After successful winter tests in Rovaniemi, Finland, at temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees, the next step will be testing the eActros LongHaul on public roads.
See also: Daimler revealed Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul teaser, launching this year
DB Schenker has been using electric trucks from Mercedes-Benz for distribution haulage and is pleased to extend its partnership to include long-distance haulage with the eActros LongHaul. “We are therefore all the more pleased that, for long-distance haulage, the company has chosen another vehicle sporting the three-pointed star – the battery-electric eActros LongHaul,” says Stina Fagerman, Head of Marketing, Sales, and Services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Cyrille Bonjean, Head of Land Transport at DB Schenker Europe, explains the company’s objective of becoming the world’s leading provider of green logistics and how the successive expansion of its electric fleet will help achieve this goal. “With the eActros LongHaul, it is now also possible to use battery-electric vehicles on long distances,” adds Bonjean.
See also: DB Schenker to Electrify Fleet with 100 New MAN eTrucks by 2026
DB Schenker is the second launch customer of the eActros 300 and has joined Dachser in signing a letter of intent for the eActros LongHaul. Other companies, including Amazon, Rhenus, Hegelmann, and Tevex Logistics, also plan to use the eActros LongHaul in the future. The increased demand for electric trucks is a positive development in the logistics industry, and it is exciting to see companies like DB Schenker leading the way in sustainable transportation.
