Electric Mercedes-Benz and Fuso trucks launched in Australia

In-depth

28 May

Daimler Truck has officially launched a range of groundbreaking all-electric trucks from Fuso and Mercedes-Benz in Australia.

· First electric trucks in the market with efficient eAxle technology. Electric motor is integrated into the drive axle to save weight.

· All models come with class-leading pedestrian radar technology that can automatically stop for moving pedestrians in front or to the left side.

· Up to 300km of range for eActros rigid and eCanter.

· Zero driving emissions.

· eCanter is the only second-generation electric truck in the market.

· All models are now available for purchase or lease, with guaranteed buyback available.

The next-generation Fuso eCanter, Mercedes-Benz eActros and eEconic raise the bar for electric trucks introducing new technology for Australian customers determined to drive down their emissions.

With up to 300km of realistic range, full connectivity, active safety and the reassurance of comprehensive real-world testing, the Daimler Truck electric workhorses are unmatched.

Daimler Truck President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, introduced the three electric trucks at a special event in Melbourne.

“Our customers don’t have to choose between sustainability and productivity. With these groundbreaking electric trucks from Mercedes-Benz and Fuso, they can have both,” he said.

“We didn’t take shortcuts to rush these models to market, but invested more time and money to make sure we delivered trucks with the innovation that our customers expect from Daimler Truck, which means the most advanced trucks in their class.”

**Fuso eCanter eAxle, with versions also used in MB trucks is leading technology in this space**

Daniel Whitehead says Daimler Truck is ready to give customers the tools they need to hit their transport sustainability goals.

“We’ve been helping our customers reduce their emissions for many years and led the way with our Euro 6 trucks from 2016, which also have remarkable fuel consumption,” he says.

“Daimler Truck will continue to support customers looking to run lower emission diesel technology and maintain our leadership in that field, while also offering the best battery electric trucks for those customers who are ready take this exciting step.”

Daimler Truck Australia Pacific Sales and Marketing Vice President, Andrew Assimo, says the company is ready to help customers achieve their goals.

“Daimler Truck offers our customers a complete sustainable truck solution, whether it be low emission diesel or battery electric. As part of that commitment, when it comes to these amazing electric trucks from Mercedes-Benz and Fuso, we can help with everything from selecting the correct specification and route planning to charging infrastructure advice. Each truck comes with a complimentary servicing package and there is a raft of financing packages including guaranteed buyback option.

“Daimler Truck customers have already travelled more than 8 million km in electric trucks around the world, including in Australia since 2021, and we are excited to be able to share what we have learned and give our customers an edge over their competitors.”

The Mercedes-Benz eActros is available as a 4x2 and 6x2 rigid as well as a 4x2 prime mover with all models developed for local distribution.

The eEconic is available as 6x2 and has primarily been developed for the waste industry as a collection vehicle, however its class-leading visibility makes it the perfect truck for urban and inner city deliveries.

Fuso is offering a full line-up of eCanters, with no less than 14 models, with three different battery sizes, various wheelbases and two cab sizes.

Customers can take advantage of Daimler Truck Financial Services offerings including Fast Track Finance and Guaranteed Buy-Back programs that have been tailored to accommodate the unique needs of Daimler Truck electric truck owners.

DTFS will provide a smooth and familiar financing process, while introducing the added convenience of incorporating accessories and finance options for EV chargers and service plans.

All Daimler Truck electric trucks come with some form of complimentary service packages to best support customers. The details of the different packages depend on the model, but the eCanter models come with a BestBasic servicing package, while the eActros and eEconic come with a more extensive Comprehensive servicing package.

Full connectivity is also a standard inclusion on the eActros, eEconic and eCanter, allowing for fleet operators to see location, state of charge and diagnostic information in real-time.

Model information

Mercedes-Benz eActros

The eActros is available as a 4x2 and 6x2 rigid as well as a 4x2 prime mover.

The rigid models can deliver up to 300km of range, while the prime mover can deliver up to 200km (due to its higher weight hauling capacity).

The rigid eActros has a Gross Vehicle Mass of 19 tonnes (technical figure), 16 tonnes (practical figure in Australia due to axle weight restrictions).

It uses the class-leading eAxle concept with two integrated liquid-cooled motors and a two-speed transmission. Maximum power is 536hp (400kW) peak performance and 443hp (330kW) continuous output.

Three thermally controlled lithium-ion battery packs feature 336kWh capacity.

The eActros features regenerative braking. This five-stage braking system works like an engine brake to both spare the service brakes and recoup significant amounts of electricity, which is fed into the batteries.

Charging from 20 per cent to 80 per cent takes 1hr 15min (using a 160kW charger) and the plug is a CCS Combo-2.

The eActros features the second generation MirrorCam system is standard featuring two in-cab A-pillar mounted 15-inch monitors.

Active safety features include Active Brake Assist with pedestrian detection (radar/camera AEBS Advanced Emergency Braking System). It also features twin radar Side Guard Assist warning system to detect cyclists, moving pedestrians and cars when the truck is making a left turn.

Other features include Stability Control Assist, Front Guard Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist, Stability Control Assist, Roll Control Assist and tyre pressure monitoring.

Pedestrian alert feature: Acoustic Vehicle Alert System fitted as standard. An acoustic warning system that sounds when the vehicle travels at speeds of up to 60 km/h in order to make other road users aware of the vehicle.

The eActros features an optimised Multimedia Cockpit featuring two 10-inch high-resolution information screens.

It boasts a 10dB noise reduction in the cabin, which is an approximate halving of the perceptible in-cabin volume.

The eActros is produced in Worth, Germany.

Mercedes-Benz eEconic

The Mercedes-Benz eEconic shares the same electrical architecture as the eActros e300. It’s application as a waste collection vehicle and the associated demands, mean that its range is up to 200km.

It features the same safety technology as the eActros, which is especially important given the urban environment in which it operates. The eEconic is based on the diesel Econic model that was designed from the ground-up as a city-centric waste collection truck with low entry and excellent panoramic visibility.

Fuso eCanter

A full line-up of Fuso eCanter includes 14 different models.

Customers can choose City Cab and Wide Cab options, different wheelbases, three different battery packs and various body options.

The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) ranges from 4.5 tonnes to 8.5 tonnes

The eCanter features an eAxle with integrated liquid-cooled motor and reduction gearbox. It is the only truck in its class with an eAxle, which optimises and eAxle design to boost efficiency and reduce weight.

It produces 110kW or 130kW depending on the model.

The eCanter can be charged using AC or DC so some customers may not need to invest in a DC charger for their application.

Charging times are approximately 1 hour for full charge with 100kW DC charger or 4.9 hours using AC 3-phase. It only takes 45min to go from 5 per cent top 90 per cent using a 100kW DC charger.

The eCanter features lithium ion phosphate (LFP) battery packs. Options include one, two or three, with 83kWh capacity combined. These are thermally-controlled with a class-leading in-battery liquid thermal control system to ensure the batteries operate at the most efficient temperature in all conditions.

Canter models up to 6-tonne GVM feature Independent Front Suspension (IFS) for superior handling and precise rack and pinion steering.

The range depends on the battery back chosen, starting at up to 100km for the single battery version, up to 200km for the e615 and up to 300km for larger three battery units. The exact range will vary depending on the geography of the area, driving method, type of load and body, among other factors.

The eCanter features regenerative braking, which works like an engine brake to both spare the service brakes and recoup significant amounts of electricity, which is fed into the batteries.

Buyers can choose specify a flange or pulley Power Take Off (PTO).

The eCanter was first arrived in Australia in 2021 and was the first production electric truck to be introduced locally.

It features Standard Advanced Brake Assist 5 with pedestrian detection (radar/camera AEBS Advanced Emergency Braking System). Active Side Guard Assist (ASGA) to detect and brake for cyclists, pedestrians and cars when the truck is making a left turn.

Other features include Stability Control Assist, Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Hill Start Assist and high voltage shut off crash sensors.

Pedestrian alert feature: Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) fitted as standard. An acoustic warning system that sounds when the vehicle travels at speeds of up to 20 km/h in order to make other road users aware of the vehicle.

The eCanter features a new-look interior with electric handbrake, high-resolution 10-inch driver display screen, ISRI driver seats (suspension driver seat for Wide Cab).

Outside, there are new exterior design elements featuring LED headlights, LED taillights and LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) for additional visibility.

Australian eCanter models are produced in Kawasaki, Japan.