Daimler Makes Fully Electric Heavy Trucks A Reality

The parent company of Mercedes revealed today the Urban eTruck along with their plans to launch an all-electric heavy truck five years from now. The Mercedes prototype is based on a heavy-duty three-axle distribution truck, but with a totally revised drivetrain. The conventional components have been replaced by an electrically driven rear axle with a pair of electric motors mounted directly to the wheel hubs. Maximum power is set at 335hp (2x125kW) with peak torque at 737lb ft (1000Nm). The battery pack consists of three modules of lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 212 kWh, giving the Urban eTruck a driving range of up to 124 miles (200km), enough for a typical day’s delivery round.

Thanks to the modularity of the battery pack, Mercedes will be able to add or remove batteries depending on the desired driving range. The Urban eTruck can be connected to a charger using the Europe-wide standardized Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 2 connector. Thanks to the 100kW charging power, the batteries can be fully charged from empty in two to three hours. A proper production version is estimated for launch by the start of the next decade, offering a payload as much as 26 metric tons.