Electric trucks also have access to the Arctic Circle

Mercedes completes the final winter tests of the electric eActros 600 in Finland ahead of the start of series production.

It is common to see cars evolving in the snow to test their behavior and the resilience of their mechanics in extreme conditions. These tests have become increasingly important with electric drivetrains and their batteries, which are very sensitive to temperature variations. If it’s bad for the car, it’s bad for the truck, and the road giants are not spared from the agony of extreme cold.

Engineers from Mercedes-Benz Trucks traveled to Rovaniemi, Finland, to test in extreme cold and snow the eActros 600, an electric battery truck designed for long-distance freight transport. Between January and March, prototypes of the Mercedes eActros 600 had to face temperatures dropping to minus 35 degrees Celsius to prove their viability in unfavorable conditions.

The new kings of the road

The eActros 600 for long-distance transport was presented for the first time worldwide last October. The battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt-hours, from which the model designation 600 derives, and a new particularly efficient electric drive axle, developed in-house, allow the electric truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers without intermediate charging.

In addition to the CCS charging with a maximum power of 400 kW, the eActros 600 will subsequently allow megawatt charging. Visually, the electric truck is characterized by a clean design, with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape. In terms of profitability for fleet operators, the electric truck aims to set new standards, ultimately replacing the majority of diesel trucks in the important long-distance transport segment. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 upon its market launch, thus offering customers additional electric transport application possibilities.

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