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Mercedes-Benz EActros 600 Successfully Completes EV Rally Across Britain
A battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eActros tractor unit has demonstrated its capability in the UK by completing a demanding five-day, 1,400-mile journey across the country. The eActros 600, hauling a standard road trailer and fully loaded at 40 tonnes GVW, successfully tackled this year’s EV Rally event.
Held from July 1-5, EV Rally 2024 featured 50 vehicles of various sizes and types departing from Oldbury in the West Midlands. The tour included visits to 26 locations representing each letter of the alphabet, with some creative adjustments for letters x and z. Although open to all electric vehicles, only two trucks participated, with the eActros being the sole tractor unit.
The first day involved a 258-mile drive through five checkpoints, ending in Carlisle. On day two, participants covered 285 miles, finishing at Daimler Truck UK's Wentworth Park complex near Sheffield. Day three saw the longest single drive of 366 miles on a circuitous route to Cambridge. The fourth day covered 315 miles to Exeter, and the final leg was a 265-mile journey through Wales to Chester.
James Venables, Daimler Truck UK's Head of Future Sustainability, was part of the eActros driving team. He was interviewed by Sara Sloman from the EV Rally Media Crew at the end of day two. She remarked: "You’ve definitely stolen the show this year – whenever the eActros turns up, heads turn." James agreed and added: "The truck is big, bold and exciting and taking part in this event has been great fun but, more importantly, we’ve proved that our engineers are right when they say the truck can cover 500 km on a single charge."
The rally aimed to showcase current electric vehicles' capabilities and demonstrate that multi-day marathon journeys are feasible using existing charging infrastructure. James noted that as national infrastructure develops further, such journeys will become even easier. He highlighted that with its impressive range ability and energy recovery through recuperation, the eActros could potentially complete each day's course without additional recharging.
However, to illustrate how easy it is to top up during a workday, they stopped at designated charge points. Using a 350 kW charger allowed them to recharge up to 60% in about an hour. James stated: "Using a 350 kW charger we were able to top up to 60% in about an hour, which was very impressive."
Dealer Network Visits
During its journey around the country, the eActros also visited many Mercedes-Benz truck dealers nationwide. This provided an opportunity for local dealers to witness firsthand the capabilities of this electric truck.
James concluded: "What we demonstrated without doubt is that the eActros 600 is perfectly capable of slotting into most UK road transport applications seamlessly, offering an option that’s entirely free of exhaust emissions while also being exceptionally smooth, quiet and comfortable to drive."
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is now available for order through the manufacturer’s national Dealer Network. Production is set to commence in December.
The successful completion of this rally underscores not only the reliability but also the practicality of electric trucks in long-haul operations within existing infrastructure constraints.
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