Mercedes-Benz eActros begins NZ testing

A fully electric 19-tonne Mercedes-Benz eActros has arrived in New Zealand for validation testing with Daimler Truck dealer network partners. The eActros 300 4×2 cab chassis model, with a reported range of up to 330km, is now being put through its paces in the North Island with customer participation alongside commercial vehicle dealership Keith Andrews.

Testing will also soon begin in the South Island with Daimler Truck dealer network partner CablePrice NZ. The eActros, that was also on display at EROAD’s Fleet Day in Hamilton, is focused on heavy-duty, short radius distribution. Development trucks have been at work in select fleets in Europe since 2018 and series production began at the Wörth plant in Germany in 2021.

The model is Daimler’s first heavy-duty zero-emission truck and follows the launch of its Fuso eCanter as the world’s first series-produced electric truck. The first eCanter arrived in New Zealand in 2021.

For the eActros, there are two 4×2 models and three 6×2 options planned for the range in major markets. The model’s evaluation phase is the first step before its official release in New Zealand. Daimler Truck and the dealer network will provide updates on availability once the evaluation phase is complete.

“It really is the next-level for heavy-duty e-vehicles, enabling reliable performance over an extended range and charging from 20%-80% in an hour with a standard DC fast charge,” Keith Andrews alternative fuels transition manager Matt Gillatt says.