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They are crazy ! Publishing detailed stuff like truck weight, batteries charging times. I much prefer the Tesla way - a truck that was released 1 year ago (!),

They are crazy ! Publishing detailed stuff like truck weight, batteries charging times. I much prefer the Tesla way - a truck that was released 1 year ago (!), and still, nobody knows it's weight, range nor price. Jokes aside, it looks very good ! Is there somewhere a real-life comparison between all those trucks ? (not like the one that was recently posted - which included detailed, by the minute data about battery / distance travelled but ... not weight the truck was carrying)

ushakov 3y ago
Same goes for the Tesla Roadster…
jillesvangurp 3y ago
There was a news article about this truck completing a round trip journey across the Alps a few days ago: https://newmobility.news/2023/10/06/mercedes-eactros-600-manages-1000-km-round-trip-on-a-single-charge/ https://newmobility.news/2023/10/06/mercedes-eactros-600-man... Stuttgart to Bolzano via the Brenner pass (1370m) and back. It charged just once in Bolzano. All this with a full load of 40 tonnes. I've driven that mountain pass. It's a major traffic route through the alps with some pretty steep segments. So, based on that, it seems that it is doing quite nicely. If it can handle that, everything else is a piece of cake. About the same range as the smaller specced Tesla semi (the 300 mile one). All they'd need to do to increase the range is add more battery, I guess. I don't think that's particularly hard technically. But it does affect the cost/performance obviously. In Europe, drivers need to stop and take breaks more frequently than in the US. So, 300 miles is plenty. And with fast charging infrastructure, the truck can be ready to go before the driver is legally allowed to get back behind the wheel.
- ofrzeta 3y ago
  > Stuttgart to Bolzano via the Brenner pass (1370m) and back. It charged just once in Bolzano. What about a traffic jam where the trucks are stuck for hours on the pass? How long can they keep it up and what happens when the batteries run out? I am aware that in the same situation you could also run out of fuel but it seems more unlikely to me. Also in the worst case you could haul fuel to the trucks.
  - TheAlchemist 3y ago
    I would expect it to not be a problem for EV trucks - my understanding is that fuel engines needs to be kept running, while EV just drains power when it's using it - when stuck in a traffic jam I suppose it uses 0 ?
  - jillesvangurp 3y ago
    Well batteries don't magically go dead but give you accurate information on how much range you have. In a traffic jam, EVs are super efficient. They don't idle; they just switch off. And they are also really good at generating loads of torque at low speeds. Probably a heavy electric truck is way more efficient than the diesel equivalent on a steep incline in a traffic jam. Going downhill, electrical trucks actually regenerate energy. 40 tonnes is a lot of potential energy. So, if you do get stuck in the mountains with a nearly empty battery yelling at you long before it dies, turning around is a valid option. Finally, this is a bit of road that is very challenging for ICE trucks. There's a slow lane, escape lanes, etc. Trucks breaking down, catching fire, etc. is a very regular event. They are well prepared for it. Thanks to decades of ICE trucks breaking down on this route. And of course mobile chargers are a thing in emergencies or just when a lot of power is needed somewhere. Just put a container of batteries on a truck and you have a nice mobile charger. That's already quite popular for installing temporary charging infrastructure at events. I don't see any advantage to having a diesel truck in such situations.
  - ChatGTP 3y ago
    Wouldn't an EV use less energy in a traffic Jam? The engine does not constantly need to be running like a semi? Did I miss something?
    - ofrzeta 3y ago
      Well, I was thinking about the typical stop-and-go but on a mountain - that would presumably take a lot of energy.
      - ChatGTP 3y ago
        I'd still imagine it would again take more energy for an ICE in this situation? The ICE aside from all the inefficiencies of the engine, needs to run constantly and then gain enough revs to begin moving, where as the electric truck suffers from none of this, you put your foot down and the electrons flow, are used almost precisely. Then if there is a downhill on this road, the EV can likely use regenerative breaking to gain some energy back. Pretty awesome.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
redox99 3y ago
What are the specs? The linked web page is atrocious and can't find any kind of spec there.
- ht85 3y ago
  https://www.mercedes-benz-trucks.com/en_GB/emobility/world/our-offer/eactros-and-services.html https://www.mercedes-benz-trucks.com/en_GB/emobility/world/o...
  - w-m 3y ago
    That seems to be for the previous version, not the announced 600 kWh one. edit: information on the new one can be found in the press release [0]: - 600 kWh LFP battery - 500 km range - 400 kW CCS charging - later: megawatt charging, 20 to 80 % in 30 minutes [0]: https://media.daimlertruck.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Mercedes-Benz-Trucks-celebrates-world-premiere-of-the-battery-electric-long-haul-truck-eActros-600.xhtml?oid=52428265&ls=L3NlYXJjaHJlc3VsdC9zZWFyY2hyZXN1bHQueGh0bWw_c2VhcmNoVHlwZT1mbGV4JnNlYXJjaFN0cmluZz1OTVNfRmxleFNlYXJjaF9DdXJyZW50TmV3cyZyZXN1bHRJbmZvVHlwZUlkPTQwNjI2JmZsZXhJbmZvVHlwZXM9NDA2MjYlMkM0MDYzMA!!&rs=1 https://media.daimlertruck.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/...
  - api 3y ago
    Not good enough for long haul trucking (at least in the USA with its massive distances) but definitely good enough for delivery trucks and short/medium range regional stuff.
    - gumby 3y ago
      I think a pretty big percentage of US container trucking is railhead-destination rather than long distance source->destination. It feels like a lot of freight is transported by truck when you are on the freeway, but if you go to Europe or India (where rail is mainly passengers) you'll find the roads comparatively choked with trucks. I'd love to see some numbers though -- this is all surmise.

ushakov 3y ago

Same goes for the Tesla Roadster…

jillesvangurp 3y ago

There was a news article about this truck completing a round trip journey across the Alps a few days ago: https://newmobility.news/2023/10/06/mercedes-eactros-600-manages-1000-km-round-trip-on-a-single-charge/ https://newmobility.news/2023/10/06/mercedes-eactros-600-man... Stuttgart to Bolzano via the Brenner pass (1370m) and back. It charged just once in Bolzano. All this with a full load of 40 tonnes. I've driven that mountain pass. It's a major traffic route through the alps with some pretty steep segments. So, based on that, it seems that it is doing quite nicely. If it can handle that, everything else is a piece of cake. About the same range as the smaller specced Tesla semi (the 300 mile one). All they'd need to do to increase the range is add more battery, I guess. I don't think that's particularly hard technically. But it does affect the cost/performance obviously. In Europe, drivers need to stop and take breaks more frequently than in the US. So, 300 miles is plenty. And with fast charging infrastructure, the truck can be ready to go before the driver is legally allowed to get back behind the wheel.

ofrzeta 3y ago
> Stuttgart to Bolzano via the Brenner pass (1370m) and back. It charged just once in Bolzano. What about a traffic jam where the trucks are stuck for hours on the pass? How long can they keep it up and what happens when the batteries run out? I am aware that in the same situation you could also run out of fuel but it seems more unlikely to me. Also in the worst case you could haul fuel to the trucks.
- TheAlchemist 3y ago
  I would expect it to not be a problem for EV trucks - my understanding is that fuel engines needs to be kept running, while EV just drains power when it's using it - when stuck in a traffic jam I suppose it uses 0 ?
- jillesvangurp 3y ago
  Well batteries don't magically go dead but give you accurate information on how much range you have. In a traffic jam, EVs are super efficient. They don't idle; they just switch off. And they are also really good at generating loads of torque at low speeds. Probably a heavy electric truck is way more efficient than the diesel equivalent on a steep incline in a traffic jam. Going downhill, electrical trucks actually regenerate energy. 40 tonnes is a lot of potential energy. So, if you do get stuck in the mountains with a nearly empty battery yelling at you long before it dies, turning around is a valid option. Finally, this is a bit of road that is very challenging for ICE trucks. There's a slow lane, escape lanes, etc. Trucks breaking down, catching fire, etc. is a very regular event. They are well prepared for it. Thanks to decades of ICE trucks breaking down on this route. And of course mobile chargers are a thing in emergencies or just when a lot of power is needed somewhere. Just put a container of batteries on a truck and you have a nice mobile charger. That's already quite popular for installing temporary charging infrastructure at events. I don't see any advantage to having a diesel truck in such situations.
- ChatGTP 3y ago
  Wouldn't an EV use less energy in a traffic Jam? The engine does not constantly need to be running like a semi? Did I miss something?
  - ofrzeta 3y ago
    Well, I was thinking about the typical stop-and-go but on a mountain - that would presumably take a lot of energy.
    - ChatGTP 3y ago
      I'd still imagine it would again take more energy for an ICE in this situation? The ICE aside from all the inefficiencies of the engine, needs to run constantly and then gain enough revs to begin moving, where as the electric truck suffers from none of this, you put your foot down and the electrons flow, are used almost precisely. Then if there is a downhill on this road, the EV can likely use regenerative breaking to gain some energy back. Pretty awesome.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

redox99 3y ago

What are the specs? The linked web page is atrocious and can't find any kind of spec there.

ht85 3y ago
https://www.mercedes-benz-trucks.com/en_GB/emobility/world/our-offer/eactros-and-services.html https://www.mercedes-benz-trucks.com/en_GB/emobility/world/o...
- w-m 3y ago
  That seems to be for the previous version, not the announced 600 kWh one. edit: information on the new one can be found in the press release [0]: - 600 kWh LFP battery - 500 km range - 400 kW CCS charging - later: megawatt charging, 20 to 80 % in 30 minutes [0]: https://media.daimlertruck.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Mercedes-Benz-Trucks-celebrates-world-premiere-of-the-battery-electric-long-haul-truck-eActros-600.xhtml?oid=52428265&ls=L3NlYXJjaHJlc3VsdC9zZWFyY2hyZXN1bHQueGh0bWw_c2VhcmNoVHlwZT1mbGV4JnNlYXJjaFN0cmluZz1OTVNfRmxleFNlYXJjaF9DdXJyZW50TmV3cyZyZXN1bHRJbmZvVHlwZUlkPTQwNjI2JmZsZXhJbmZvVHlwZXM9NDA2MjYlMkM0MDYzMA!!&rs=1 https://media.daimlertruck.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/...
- api 3y ago
  Not good enough for long haul trucking (at least in the USA with its massive distances) but definitely good enough for delivery trucks and short/medium range regional stuff.
  - gumby 3y ago
    I think a pretty big percentage of US container trucking is railhead-destination rather than long distance source->destination. It feels like a lot of freight is transported by truck when you are on the freeway, but if you go to Europe or India (where rail is mainly passengers) you'll find the roads comparatively choked with trucks. I'd love to see some numbers though -- this is all surmise.