The 4x2 eActros 300 is the operator’s first battery-powered model. It joins a fleet of 12 vehicles, comprising trucks plated at 18 and 7.2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW), as well as 5.0- and 3.5-tonne vans.
Founder Stuart Randall said: “For our first electric vehicle we decided the maximum operational benefit would come from replacing one of our biggest trucks, so this eActros is a direct substitute for a diesel-powered 18-tonner. Assuming it works well – and all the early indications are that it will – we’ll be looking to swap the rest of our fleet for battery-powered vehicles at the earliest opportunity.”
Fitted with three battery packs, for a total installed capacity of 336kWh, the truck has a range of up to 205 miles. The batteries can be recharged from 20-80% in 75 minutes using a 400A 160kW charger.
The eActros has twin electric motors located within the rear axle. Chassis space can be freed up for the batteries to be set across the full width of the vehicle. This helps to create a low centre of gravity which, in turn, translates into improved driving dynamics. The motors drive through a special transmission with two forward and reverse gears, allowing the truck to cruise at up to 55 mph.
Dealer Rygor Commercials supplied the eActros. Solent Bodybuilders, of Fareham, fitted the rigid body and mounted a 2,000 kg Dhollandia cantilever tail lift.
The vehicle was handed over at The Drinks Club’s Southall headquarters. Truck trainer Alistair Colquhoun provided team members an introduction to the new vehicle and took them out on the road to pass on tips on how to get the best out of the electric drivetrain.
Randall added: “Our drivers certainly benefited from their truck training input and now report that the eActros is far more pleasant to drive than a diesel truck. It’s quiet and smooth but also has excellent and immediate power delivery, so is very easy to pilot among city-centre traffic.
“Energy efficiency is highly impressive too. The team reports that, on our typical 45-mile daily run, we’re only using around 10-15% of a full charge to complete the route.”
“The truck has already proved itself in terms of performance and our experience of running other Mercedes-Benz Trucks suggests that reliability will be of the high standards we’ve come to expect. We’ll now be monitoring the vehicle’s whole-life operating costs closely, to gain a true picture of the economic reality of electric transport.”
As well as a 19-tonne 4x2 chassis, the eActros is also available as a 6x2, with 27-tonne GVW and a body-and-payload allowance of 16.6 tonnes, and as an eActros 400 with four batteries allowing up to 400 km (249 miles) of range.