Amazon, Rhenus to test eActros LongHaul

Amazon and German logistics specialist Rhenus signed a letter of intent with Mercedes-Benz Trucks to begin testing the eActros LongHaul in real-world operations as early as 2023.

Rhenus will use the e-truck in many different business areas, including the transport of sea containers and with a tarpaulin trailer. The eActros LongHaul will also be tested on public roads this year. Series production is planned for 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ battery electric eActros LongHaul will go to Amazon and Rhenus in 2023 for real-world operation, (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Trucks)

The eActros LongHaul will have a range of around 500 km (310 miles) on a single battery charge and is capable of high-performance charging, Mercedes-Benz Trucks said. A “concept prototype” of the eActros LongHaul will be the highlight of Mercedes-Benz Trucks at this year’s IAA Transportation exhibition in Hanover, Germany.

“As with all our e-trucks, we will rely on early practical tests with customers for our eActros LongHaul,” said Michael Scheib, head of Product Management, Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “By doing so our engineers will be able to incorporate valuable knowledge gained from real-world operations - especially with regard to high-performance charging - directly into the development of the series-production vehicle. We are very pleased with the planned partnerships with Amazon and Rhenus.”

Andreas Marschner, vice president, Amazon Transportation Services said that “Amazon has pledged to become carbon neutral across the company by 2040, i.e. net zero. Transport is a core element on this journey. Due to today’s range constraints of batteries, recharging is a key challenge that we need to tackle. Building high power charging solutions is a promising approach and we are excited to test it with our partners.”

Amazon and Rhenus are planning to test the eActros LongHaul as part of the “High performance charging for long-haul trucking” (HoLa) test program, which is being run under the auspices of the VDA. The aim of HoLa is the development, operation and scientific support of a high-performance charging infrastructure for battery-powered long-distance transport.

In addition to Daimler Truck, other consortium partners from industry and research are involved in the project. CCS charging stations will initially be installed at several locations along the A2 between Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia. As the project progresses the selected sites are to be equipped with charging stations that enable the megawatt charging system (MCS).

The HoLa charging points are to be installed at several locations along the A2. One focus of testing is on the rapid charging of e-trucks and the battery electric vehicles should be able to be charged at high power within the statutory break time of 45 minutes, Mercedes-Benz Trucks said.

The batteries used in the eActros LongHaul employ lithium-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP). They can be charged from 20 to 80% in under 30 minutes at a charging station with an output of about 1 MW. The long range on a single charge in combination with megawatt charging results in overall ranges on a par with conventional trucks and thus enables two-shift operations, Mercedes-Benz Trucks said.