Holcim will rely on the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 to implement its sustainability strategy on a large scale. The Swiss building materials producer plans to add a total of 1,000 units of the battery-electric truck from Mercedes-Benz Trucks, which just celebrated its world premiere last October, to its European fleet.
Both companies, as strong partners, have signed a joint letter of intent for this purpose. The volume represents the largest planned single order to date for the eActros 600 contributing to the achievement of the sustainability goals of both companies.
The majority of the electric trucks will be used with silo trailers for the demanding transport of building materials such as cement. The high battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt hours – hence the model designation 600 – and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house, enable the e-truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging. Therefore, the eActros 600 will be able to travel significantly more than 1,000 kilometers per day. This is made possible by intermediate charging during the legally prescribed driver breaks – even without megawatt-charging.
Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “Holcim is one of Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ most important customers in the construction industry. We are very pleased that the company decided for the eActros 600 in its transformation towards alternative drives. Our electric truck with the three-pointed star sets new standards in terms of efficiency.”
Miljan Gutovic, Region Head Europe, Holcim: “Holcim is advancing the transition to more sustainable and efficient transportation by decarbonizing our operations’ logistics. We are excited to be partnering with Mercedes-Benz Trucks to electrify our fleet, accelerating our goal for 30% of our heavy-duty truck purchases or contracts to be zero-emission by 2030.”
In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging (MCS). From the start of sales, customers can order a pre-installation for this. As soon as MCS technology becomes available and is standardized across manufacturers, it is planned to be retrofittable for these models of the eActros 600. The batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes at a suitable charging station with an output of around one megawatt.
Visually, the e-truck is characterized by a fundamentally new, puristic design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape. When it comes to profitability for fleet operators, the electric truck is intended to set new standards, over the long term replacing the majority of diesel trucks in the important long-haul transport segment. The core of Mercedes-Benz Trucks‘ concept for battery-electric long-distance transport is to offer customers a holistic solution consisting of vehicle technology, consulting, charging infrastructure and services.
The start of series production is planned for the end of 2024. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 right from market launch, offering customers further possible applications for all-electric transport. A fleet of around fifty prototype vehicles is currently being built, some of which are also to be put into practical testing with first customers in a next step.
