Daimler unveiled its electric Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck earlier this week.Daimler AG unveiled a heavy-duty electric concept truck this week that offers double the range of another electric truck that the company is currently field-testing in Germany.
With a range of about 124 miles, the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck features two electric motors mounted near the rear wheels, according to Daimler’s press release.
Mitsubishi-Fuso, a Daimler subsidiary, has successfully field-tested its second-generation electric Canter truck in Portugal and is now testing a fleet in Germany. However, the range of that Class 3 truck is around 60 miles.
The 13,230-lb Canter E-Cell made its U.S. debut in March at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. (To learn more, read Hard Working Trucks test-drive report). A third-generation Canter E-Cell is currently under development.
Daimler reports that improved battery technology is making the production of electric trucks more bankable. That and increasingly stringent emissions makes an electric powertrain a bigger player in the market.
“Although electric drives long appeared to be out of the question for trucks, the economic viability of battery-electric trucks is now starting to emerge,” Daimler’s press release states. “This is because of major advances in battery technology: between 1997 and 2025, the costs are likely to fall by 60 percent. At the same time, the power will increase by around 250 percent over the same period.”
Regenerative braking helps to power the eTruck, which has about 335 horsepower and 737 ft.-lb. of torque. The Canter E-Cell is rated at 150 horsepower and 479 ft.-lb. of torque.
Three lithium-ion batteries provide 212 kilowatt-hours, which Daimler believes makes the eTruck ideal for waste hauling and in-city deliveries. Batteries can be added to extend the range.
High-voltage, 100-kw DC charging can top off the batteries in around 2 to 3 hours. More effective charging systems are being developed which may increase the charge time.
Urban eTruck is based on a heavy-duty three-axle short-radius distribution truck from Mercedes-Benz. GVWR, payload and towing specs are not yet available.
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