Vegetable business harvests fuel savings from first crop of Euro 6 Mercedes Actros08 August 2014

Vegetable business Staples has taken delivery of 15 Euro 6 Mercedes-Benz Actros tractors and says the vehicles have been delivering impressive fuel performance from day one – and are still improving.

Supplied by dealer Intercounty Truck & Van, the 15 additions are Actros 2545 models with flat-floored BigSpace cabs and 449bhp straight-six engines mated to PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.

Six more will go into service before the end of this year, giving Mercedes the full house on the Boston, Lincolnshire-based operator's 35-strong tractor fleet.

The new trucks – the operator's first Euro 6 models – returned 9.7mpg immediately, says Staples' transport manager Dave Baker, "and, after a bit of driver training, they're already into the 10s".

Staples already has seven Euro 5 Actros 2454 tractor units, as well as nine older Actros models.

"Our 63-plated Actros are coming into their prime now and averaging a very satisfactory 10 mpg, while frequently hitting the 11s," reports Baker.

"But given the great start they've made, we're optimistic that, once our first Euro 6 units have bedded in, they'll soon be doing even better."

The vehicles were acquired with funding from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and are covered by a six-year R&M contract.

Inspections and servicing will be carried out at Intercounty's Boston workshop, usually overnight and at weekends.

Author
Laura Cork

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