Swiss retailer OTTO’S is converting its entire truck fleet to electric drive, deploying 22 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks to deliver goods to more than 140 branches across Switzerland. The company plans to power most of the vehicles’ charging requirements with solar electricity generated at its own facilities.
The trucks are equipped with bodies supplied by Swiss vehicle manufacturer Lanz + Marti, which confirmed on LinkedIn that it had completed a series of 22 vehicles based on the eActros 600. The order also included two-axle trailers with plywood box bodies, allowing the trucks to operate as road trains.
Electric Trucks to Serve More Than 140 Branches
OTTO’S expects the eActros 600’s driving range of up to 500 kilometres to cover most of its daily delivery routes without intermediate charging stops.
“Around 80 per cent of all daily transport routes fall within this distance,”
said OTTO’S CEO Mark Ineichen.
According to the retailer, the electric trucks typically complete two to four tours per day and regularly return to its headquarters in Sursee, in the canton of Lucerne. The depot provides an opportunity to recharge the vehicles and prepare them for subsequent operations.
The operating pattern is important for fleet electrification because vehicles can recharge at a central location between tours, reducing the need for charging stops during deliveries.
Solar Power to Support Charging Infrastructure
OTTO’S plans to use electricity generated by its own photovoltaic installations to supply much of the energy needed to charge the trucks. The solar installation at its headquarters in Sursee will provide the majority of this electricity.
The company also intends to feed solar power generated at its branch locations into its internal electricity network for use by the charging infrastructure.
The approach combines the transition to battery-electric freight transport with greater use of renewable energy. However, OTTO’S has not disclosed the charging infrastructure’s installed capacity, the investment costs or the precise timeline for commissioning all 22 vehicles.
Ineichen described the fleet transition as a milestone for the company’s logistics operations, with the objective of maintaining efficient and reliable deliveries to its branches.
Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 Specifications
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is designed for heavy-duty long-distance transport and has been in series production since November 2024.
Its powertrain uses three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs with a combined installed capacity of 621 kWh. Mercedes-Benz specifies a range of approximately 500 kilometres without intermediate charging, although actual performance varies according to payload, route conditions, driving style and other operating factors.
The truck supports CCS charging at up to 400 kW. This enables operators to incorporate charging into depot-based schedules and other periods when vehicles are stationary.
For OTTO’S, the combination of the truck’s range and regular returns to Sursee is central to its operating plan. The retailer says approximately 80% of its daily routes fall within the vehicle’s stated range.
Fleet-Wide Electrification of Retail Logistics
The deployment of 22 eActros 600 trucks represents a fleet-wide transition for OTTO’S rather than the replacement of selected vehicles. The company intends to use the electric trucks for regular deliveries across its Swiss branch network.
The project illustrates how battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles can be integrated into retail distribution when route distances, depot access and charging arrangements align with operational requirements. The use of on-site solar electricity is also intended to reduce reliance on externally sourced power for the fleet.
