The 18-ton 4x2 has a range of about 200km, and is equipped with a Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated swap body, which is also electrically operated. The batteries of the electric truck are charged overnight on the Ritter Sport factory premises.
The refrigerated swap body of the eActros used by Alfred Ritter is the W.KO COOL model from Schmitz Cargobull. It has optimized insulation for the energy-efficient transport of refrigerated goods. The vehicle bodies will be largely provided by Schmitz Cargobull also in the second test phase.
Since 2020, the eActros has been in the second phase of its practical testing and will gradually be handed over to other customers as part of the so-called “innovation fleet.” One of the many findings gained during the practical tests is that the eActros’s range of about 200 kilometers has proven to be realistic, regardless of payload, route or topography. The eActros is in no way inferior to a conventional diesel truck in terms of availability and performance in urban traffic, on highways or overland routes. The cooling system for the cargo, but also the air conditioning – both electrically operated – have been functioning without any limitation in both extreme heat and winter conditions.
According to Mercedes-Benz, drivers are said to be pleased with the continuous availability of torque across the entire speed range. When driving with foresight, electrical energy can be recovered through recuperation, i.e. motor braking. It is then rarely necessary to use the brake pedal.
On the eActros, drive is provided by two electric motors close to the rear-axle wheel hubs with an output of 126 kW each and a maximum torque of 485 Nm each. This results in 11,000 Nm each after the transmission ratio, which is a performance equivalent to that of a conventional truck. Lithium-ion batteries with 240 kWh supply the energy for the eActros. Depending on the available charging power, the batteries can be fully charged within two hours (at 150 kW), according to Mercedes-Benz.
The development and testing of heavy-duty electric trucks in distribution transport is being funded partially by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) and partially by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) as part of the Concept ELV² project.
The company reports that series production of the eActros will begin in 2021 in two- and three-axle configurations. Also available will be consulting services relating to e-mobility including route analyses, checking for possible subsidies, support for operational fleet integration and the development of suitable charging-infrastructure solutions.