Daimler Truck, logistics provider DHL Group and commercial vehicle rental provider hylane GmbH signed a cooperation agreement in the field of fully electric trucks at the “transport logistic” trade fair in Munich.
The partnership stipulates that DHL will obtain 30 electric trucks of the type Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 through hylane’s “Transport as a Service model.” This means DHL will not purchase the vehicles; instead, hylane will bill DHL based on the actual kilometers driven. The electric trucks are set to be used in the Post & Parcel Germany division for transport between parcel centers.
The trucks are expected to be delivered by the end of the second quarter of 2026. For hylane, the addition of 30 eActros 600 trucks marks a targeted expansion of its existing portfolio, which has so far focused on fuel cell electric trucks. For the three partners, this also represents the largest contract for electric trucks in Germany this year.
The electric trucks that DHL will acquire as part of the partnership with hylane and Daimler Truck are still part of the already expired KsNI funding program (Climate-Friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure) of the federal government. This program aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of alternative drives and fuels in road freight transport.
The 30 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks will complement DHL’s sustainable fleet, which already includes 16 electric trucks and 450 CNG trucks in transport, as well as 32,400 electric vans for last-mile delivery. Additionally, there is charging infrastructure with 10 CNG fueling stations and 41,000 electric charging points. DHL aims to reduce all emissions to net zero by 2050, with the goal of increasing the share of vehicles in the transport sector using alternative fuels or drives to about 30 percent by 2030.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrated the series launch of the eActros 600 at the end of November last year at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. Deliveries to customers began in December 2024.
The electric flagship among Mercedes-Benz Trucks has already proven its capabilities several times under real-life conditions: In customer use and as part of the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024”, a 15,000-kilometer all-electric development trip through a total of 22 countries and the “European Testing Tour Winter 2025” on around 6,500 kilometers through Northern Europe, each with a gross combination mass of 40 tons. In addition, the e-truck was voted “International Truck of the Year 2025”. The award is the most important prize in the industry and is presented annually by the International Truck of the Year (IToY) organization, consisting of 24 commercial vehicle journalists from Europe. The overall technological concept consisting of an electric drive axle and LFP cell technology was decisive for the award.
The high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt hours – hence the model designation 600 – and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house enable the electric truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging. This range is accomplished under very realistic and practical conditions with a gross combination mass of 40 tons, which can also be significantly exceeded depending on the driving style and the route.
The eActros 600 will even be able to cover well over 1,000 kilometers per day. Intermediate charging during statutory driver breaks makes this possible, provided that charging options are available.
The eActros 600 has three battery packs, each with 207 kWh. These offer an installed total capacity of 621 kWh. The batteries are based on lithium iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) and are characterized by a long service life.
