Dachser to operate battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros in and around Stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered another locally emission-free and quiet eActros to a customer. International logistics provider Dachser has integrated the fully-electric 18-tonne truck into its fleet, where the truck will be tested in regular operations in and around Stuttgart.

The official handover of the vehicle took place at the Dachser logistics centre in Kornwestheim near Stuttgart. The eActros is part of the so-called “innovation fleet” from Mercedes-Benz Trucks for practical testing of the heavy-duty electric truck.

Martin Kehnen, Head of CharterWay Rental & Key Account Management for Germany at Mercedes-Benz Trucks explains: “The eActros has already proven itself in numerous practical operations as a clean and quiet alternative for urban distribution tasks. We are pleased to have teamed up with Dachser for practical testing of the eActros in yet another field of operations. With this, we want to gather valuable insights to help us further develop the vehicle towards series production.”

Dachser will use the eActros to deliver general cargo — meaning palletised shipments above 32 kg, which are too large and heavy for regular parcel shipping — to its customers in Stuttgart’s city centre. Additionally, the eActros will also supply the Dachser microhub in Stuttgart’s Heslach district with items for last-mile delivery. The loading area of the eActros offers space for 18 pallets.

“The Mercedes-Benz eActros is an integral component of our city logistics concept ‘Dachser Emission-Free Delivery’, as part of which we will deliver general cargo locally emission-free, initially within Stuttgart but later also in other inner cities. With this concept, we have won the ‘National Sustainable Urban Logistics Competition’. With a range of up to 200 km, the eActros comfortably covers the required daily distance of around 80 kilometres between our Dachser branch in Kornwestheim and the delivery area in Stuttgart. The batteries will then be charged over night at our depot,” explained Stefan Hohm, Corporate Director Corporate Solutions, Research & Development at Dachser.

Since March 2018 two light-duty FUSO eCanter from Daimler Trucks have been in operation with Dachser in Stuttgart and Berlin. The battery-electric 7.5-tonne truck is also a key player in the emission-free vehicle mix at Dachser.