Mercedes-Benz Tells Tesla To Bring it On, Reveals eActros 600 EV Semi Truck

Of course, this company is Tesla with their quite unoriginally-named Tesla Semi. It's to the point where many outside the auto sector's sphere of influence might not be aware there are indeed other companies striving to put all-electric semi trucks on public roads sooner rather than later. This month, Mercedes-Benz etched its name into that short list with their eActros 600.

As one of the first all-electric semi trucks designed for tight, narrow European roads, the eActros 600 takes the all-familiar, cab-over-engine form factor and brings it head first into the 2020s with an EV drivetrain that comes within striking distance of the industry juggernauts at Tesla. Though only sporting a 600 kWh drivetrain compared to the roughly 900 kWh unit purported to feature in production-spec Tesla Semis, its visibly smaller and nimble form factor no doubt fits the domestic market this EV truck is built to serve.

Even without the largest, most powerful battery packs and electric motors in the industry, the eActros 600 still manages some very impressive statistics. Accolades like a driving range of roughly 500 km (310.7 mi) without intermediate charging is no small feat for a truck this size, or easily covering 1,000 km (621 mi) in a single day, the eActros 600 can easily cover vital shipping routes like Hamburg to Munich or London to Manchester and back with an absolute minimum of difficulty, so long as sufficient charging stations are situated along the route.

With a gross vehicle weight, including cargo, coming in at 44 metric tons (48 US tons), half of which is the load itself, the eActros 600's in-house developed drivetrain can high-weight loads of vital materials without clogging up highways full of thick, black smoke. You know, like you've come to expect from long-haul trucks on either side of the Atlantic. With a battery pack capable of being charged from 20 to 80 percent full in just 30 minutes, truckers need only wait enough time to grab a meal and a bathroom break before it's time to get back on the road with a full charge behind their backs.

"The eActros 600 stands for the transformation of road freight transport towards CO2 neutrality like no other truck with a three-pointed star. It is characterized by highly innovative drive technology that can offer our customers particularly high energy efficiency and, thus, profitability," explained Karin Rådström, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. "This makes entry into e-mobility even more attractive for fleet operators." Sales for Mercedes-Benz's flagship EV truck begin later this year, with deliveries expected in full force starting in 2024.