Truck maker Mercedes-Benz Trucks AG has unveiled a new long-haul truck that runs on lithium-iron (LFP) batteries.
The eActros 600 is seen in the truck industry as a rival to rumoured short-range version of the Tesla Semi, said industry players. It features two electric motors and three LFP battery packs offering total capacity of 621 kWh.
Mercedes said the batteries can be charged at up to 400kW, but can also accept 1MW of DC power. The vehicle will be retrofittable with a proper connector once megawatt charging technology becomes available and standardised.
The high-voltage batteries come with a maximum warranty of either 72 months, 720,000 km or 1,800 charging cycles, whichever comes first. It claimed the battery has a service life of up to 1.2 million km. After 10 years’ use, the battery state of health should still be over 80%, according to company claims.
The vehicle has a claimed driving range of 500 km without recharging. Mercedes said the range was determined under test conditions.
