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Daimler launches battery-electric trucks in South Africa
Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) has introduced its first fully battery-electric trucks in South Africa,
Two models were launched at the event in Lanseria this week - the Mercedes-Benz eActros 300, comprising a 4x2 and 6x2 rigid, along with a truck tractor variant and the eActros 400 6x2 rigid and eCanter range.
DTSA says the electric trucks offer zero emission during operation and focuses on light and heavy-duty distribution applications for now.
This is until local vehicle weight and length legislation allows the introduction of long-hau application vehicles.
The eActros 300 has three lithium-ion battery packs with a battery capacity of 336kWh2 and offers a travel range of up to 330 kilometres.
The eActros 300 charges its batteries from 20% to 80% at 160kW in 1 hour 15 minutes.
The Gross Vehicle Mass of the eActros 300 rigid variants ranges from 19 to 27 tons, offering body and payloads ranging from 8.2 to 16.1 tons.
The eActros 300 Truck Tractor has a Gross Combination Mass of 40 tons, while the eActros 400 is equipped with four lithium-ion battery packs with a battery capacity of 4,482kWh and offers a travel range of up to 400 kilometres.
On the other hand eActros 400 charges its batteries from 20% to 80% at 160 kW in 1 hour 40 minutes. The eActros 400 has a Gross Vehicle Mass of 27 tons, offering a body and payload of up to 15.4 tons.
Both the eActros 300 and eActros 400 have a drive unit comprising of a rigid electric axle with two integrated, liquid -cooled, electric motors and a two-speed transmission that delivers a continuous output of 330kW and a peak output of 400kW.
Battery-electric truck trials
DTSA also announced its ongoing plans for the FUSO eCanter range, which entails the roll-out of extended trials with its customers.
The eCanter has six HV battery packs with a battery capacity of 83kWh and a travel range of up to 100km. The charging time for the eCanter on quick charge is maximum 1 hour 30 minutes on a 50kW DC charger and 11 hours on regular charging.
The eCanter has a single-speed transmission, with a Gross Vehicle Mass of 7.5 tons and a body and payload capacity of 4.2 tons. The electric motor performance generates 135kW and 390 Nm torque. The eCanter has a wheelbase of 3,400mm and overall length of 5,952mm.
With a portfolio that comprises six units, each unit will be allocated to a customer for a three-month trial period, specifically for in-city distribution.
The objective of these extended trials is for customers to establish performance and infrastructure requirements to successfully run battery electric trucks in their fleet.
"The launch of the eActros and the eCanter in South Africa is a massive feat for us. While we know that to reach our ultimate goal of offering 100% CO2 neutral products by 2050 will require various zero emission technologies, this launch represents the vital first step for us in building a sustainable future for transportation," said Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO, Daimler Truck Southern Africa commented. |
