It is the future, nothing less. Electric trucks are coming and they are coming faster than expected. Mercedes-Benz presented the “Urban eTruck” in Hanover. A “powerful hummer”, quiet as a whisper and yet powerful. And locally emission-free. This is how we imagine the future!
World premiere: Whisper-Brummi with electric power
Mercedes Urban eTruck
Networking, bringing online and purely electrically through the city and across the country - at the commercial vehicle fair in Hanover there were three overriding topics: electrification, automation and connectivity in the industry. With the Urban eTruck, Mercedes presents a very clear and already quite understandable approach and an outlook for the near future!
25 tons total weight - 12.8 tons payload
It is the heavy distribution traffic the Mercedes has in view. The Urban eTruck is a classic truck that is used without trailer, especially in metropolitan areas for the equally classic distribution traffic. The truck loses no hold. The suitcase is just as big as before. All the drive technology was housed in the chassis of the truck.
Driven by wheel-hub motors, fueled by lithium-ion batteries, this truck with its 12.8 tons payload whisperes through the city. 125 kW of electric power per electric motor and 500 Nm of force, which increases to 11.000 Newton meters thanks to a portal axle solution with integrated ratio.
200 km electric range
A modular battery system allows individual solutions for truck operators. The EU also allows a slightly increased total weight for trucks with electric drives. This is also necessary because the eTruck is around 1.5 tons heavier than its diesel counterpart. This is mainly due to the 212 kWh battery pack. The range of 200 km (and more) should be sufficient in distribution transport, and the truck charging time of “up to three” hours should be adapted to the situation in the transport industry.
Minimization of operating costs
The greatly reduced costs for the maintenance of the truck are slowed down at the beginning by a surcharge of eTruck compared to the conventional truck. Over the useful life, however, Mercedes sees a clear advantage in favor of electromobility. The recuperation performance reduces brake wear, a single moving part, per wheel hub motor, service costs and repair cases. The fact that diesel bans on city centers are also threatening and that the price of diesel will not last forever at this, current, low level supports the meaningfulness of switching to electric trucks.
Networking and lead
Of course, the Mercedes truckers also have a complete network of the vehicle. Here are the details still to be discussed, but the driver's assistance in route planning, the accurate logistics planning due to big data and the use of all available information, all this will make the trucks become smart. And soon.
The Urban eTruck can be imagined at Mercedes to 2020, a number smaller, a purely electric Sprinter, but already an 2018. So it could be, the future is coming sooner than expected.
