As part of a series of tests the eActros 300 as a tractor unit, which recently premiered at the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover, successfully crossed the Arlberg Pass in Austria. For this test engineers from Mercedes-Benz Trucks fully loaded the semitrailer to 40 tons. The tests in Tyrol covered a total distance of 111 kilometers, including Bludenz, Stuben, St. Anton and Lech, at times at an elevation of more than 1,800 meters. The experts from Mercedes-Benz Trucks subjected the tractor and trailer to tests to validate its performance and durability. A special focus was put on energy recovery through recuperation, which can be used extensively in the alpine topography of Tyrol. During recuperation, energy gained during braking is returned to the eActros’ batteries and is then made available to the drive unit. In this way, the electric tractor unit was able to recover a total of around 180 kWh of energy. At the end of the demanding tour, about 40 percent of the energy was still available.
Stina Fagerman, Head of Sales, Marketing and Services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “The tractor unit version of the eActros 300 expands the application options of the eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport. The intensive tests in Austria have shown our electric truck can reliably fulfill its tasks, even in a particularly challenging topography with extreme uphill and downhill grades.”
In total, the electric semi-trailer climbed 2,300 meters in altitude during the test – the maximum grade was at 13 percent. On the way to the test area, the truck’s batteries were only charged at public charging stations. Series production launch of the eActros 300 semitrailer tractor is planned for the second half of 2023.
