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A battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eActros tractor unit has proved its readiness for work within the UK by finishing a gruelling five-day, 1,400-mile journey across the nation.
Hauling a normal highway trailer, and absolutely freighted at 40 tonnes GVW, the eActros 600 simply noticed off the problem of this 12 months’s EV Rally occasion.
Held from July 1-5, EV Rally 2024 noticed 50 autos of various sizes and kinds set off from Oldbury within the West Midlands, on a tour that took in visits to 26 places corresponding to each letter of the alphabet — albeit with some artistic licence when it got here to the letters x and z.
Though the occasion was open to all electrical autos, simply two vans took half and the eActros was the one tractor unit. Day one concerned a 258-mile drive through 5 intermediate checkpoints to complete in Carlisle. Day two’s route coated 285 miles, ending on the Daimler Truck UK advanced at Wentworth Park, close to Sheffield.
Day three held the longest single day’s drive, at 366 miles on a circuitous path to Cambridge, whereas the fourth instalment noticed contributors cowl 315 miles to Exeter. Lastly, the final stint of 265 e-miles introduced the contributors by Wales to the end line in Chester. The eActros additionally visited lots of the nationwide community of Mercedes-Benz truck sellers on its journey across the nation.
Daimler Truck UK Head of Future Sustainability, James Venables, was among the many eActros driving workforce. He was interviewed on the finish of day two by Sara Sloman, of the EV Rally Media Crew, who noticed: “You’ve undoubtedly stolen the present this 12 months — at any time when the eActros turns up, heads flip.”
James agreed and added: “The truck is massive, daring and thrilling and participating on this occasion has been nice enjoyable however, extra importantly, we’ve proved that our engineers are proper once they say the truck can cowl 500 km on a single cost.
“The EV Rally is all about showcasing at the moment’s electrical autos and the truth that a multi-day marathon journey may be very a lot achievable, utilizing the present community of charging factors. Because the nationwide infrastructure develops that can solely get simpler.
“With its improbable vary capacity, doubtlessly boosted even additional by power restoration by recuperation, we imagine our eActros 600 may have accomplished every day’s course with out the necessity for any further recharging — however within the spirit of the occasion, to indicate how straightforward it’s to prime up throughout a day’s work, we did cease at among the designated cost factors. Utilizing a 350 kW charger we had been in a position to prime as much as 60% in about an hour, which was very spectacular.”
James continued: “What we demonstrated, doubtless, is that the eActros 600 is completely able to slotting into most UK highway transport functions seamlessly, providing an choice that’s solely freed from exhaust emissions whereas additionally being exceptionally clean, quiet and comfy to drive.”
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is obtainable to order now by the producer’s nationwide Vendor Community, with manufacturing beginning in December.
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