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Finally Daimler Truck AG have launched their long distance tractor unit offering to the world. I will happily say i love the look of it and that is a good start. It may be a facelift and redesign around the current cab, but when the cab interior works so well how would you actually improve it. This truck is capable of 500Kn / 310 miles on a single charge, which makes it much more of a viable option for some long distance work. There is a lot of information about the truck in the press release, so i have given you what i think are the parts of the seven page release, that you will actually want to read. This will put Daimler out there with the good looking Volvo option, although we will have to wait until early 2025 for RHD options here in the UK I am told. If you would like to read the full complete press release then please click the link HERE.
The eActros 600 heavy-duty electric truck is planned to define the new standard in terms of technology, sustainability, design and profitability
The high battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt hours – hence the model designation 600 – and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house, enable the e-truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers1 without intermediate charging. Therefore, the eActros 600 will be able to travel significantly more than 1,000 kilometers per day. This is made possible by intermediate charging during the legally prescribed driver breaks – even without megawatt-charging. Around 60 percent of long-distance journeys of Mercedes-Benz Trucks customers in Europe are shorter than 500 kilometers anyway, which means charging infrastructure at the depot and at the loading and unloading points is sufficient in such cases. For all other uses, continual expansion of public charging infrastructure is vital in order to make the electric truck viable for long-distance haulage across Europe. In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging (MCS). From the start of sales, customers can order a pre-installation for this. As soon as MCS technology becomes available and is standardized across manufacturers, it is planned to be retrofittable for these models of the eActros 600. The batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes3 at a suitable charging station with an output of around one megawatt.
The vehicle is technically designed for a gross combination weight of up to 44 tons. With a standard semitrailer, the eActros 600 has a payload of around 22 tons in the EU. In some cases, national law may permit a higher payload. Visually, the e-truck is characterized by a fundamentally new, puristic design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape. When it comes to profitability for fleet operators, the electric truck is intended to set new standards, over the long term replacing the majority of diesel trucks in the important long-haul transport segment. The core of Mercedes-Benz Trucks‘ concept for battery-electric long-distance transport is to offer customers a holistic solution consisting of vehicle technology, consulting, charging infrastructure and services.
Sales of the electric truck start this year. The start of series production is planned for the end of 2024. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 right from market launch, offering customers further possible applications for all-electric transport. A fleet of around fifty prototype vehicles is currently being built, some of which are also to be put into practical testing with first customers in a next step.
Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “The eActros 600 stands for the transformation of road freight transport towards CO2-neutrality like no other truck with a three-pointed star. It is characterized by highly innovative drive technology that can offer our customers particularly high energy efficiency and thus profitability. This makes entry into e-mobility even more attractive for fleet operators.”
Electricity price and toll system decisive for profitability compared to diesel trucks
The time period within which fleet operators can achieve cost parity with a comparable diesel truck using the eActros 600 in long-distance haulage differs from country to country, in particular depending on the electricity and diesel price and toll system. In the large transit countries of France and Germany, for example, a low electricity price and the planned CO2-based truck toll, respectively, have a positive effect on the operational costs of battery-electric trucks. This means that the eActros 600 can be more profitable than a diesel long-haul truck within the average vehicle holding period of around five years or after around 600,000 kilometers – despite a purchase price that is around two to two and a half times higher than the diesel equivalent. Government subsidization of e-trucks and charging infrastructure is a key lever providing support in ramping up the market. More than 80 percent CO2 savings possible compared to diesel trucks over the entire life cycle.
The eActros 600 has three battery packs, each with 207 kWh5. These offer an installed total capacity of 621 kWh. The batteries are based on lithium iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) and are characterized by a long service life. The development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks have designed the eActros 600 to meet the same requirements on the durability of the vehicle and components as a comparable conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros. That means up to 1.2 million kilometers in ten years of operation. After this period of use, the battery state of health should still be over 80 percent. Moreover, in contrast to other battery cell technologies, approximately 95 percent of the installed capacity can be used with LFP technology. This makes a higher range with the same installed battery capacity possible.
Innovative drive technology – Predictive Powertrain Control in the eActros 600
Mercedes-Benz Trucks has developed a new 800-volt electric axle with two electric motors and a four-speed transmission specifically for use in heavy-duty long-haul transport. The electric motors generate a continuous output of 400 kW as well as a peak output of 600 kW and ensure powerful acceleration, high driving comfort and high driving dynamics. The full motor output is available most of the time with almost no interruption in torque.
In addition, with an anticipatory driving style, electrical energy can be recovered through recuperation, which is fed back into the batteries of the eActros 600 and is then available again for the drive system. Recuperation puts less strain on the brakes of the eActros 600, which is a positive side effect. Depending on the situation, the driver can choose between five different recuperation levels. One-pedal driving can also be optionally enabled on the touchscreen in the digital cockpit – i.e. deceleration by means of recuperation with reduced actuation of the mechanical brake.
The eActros 600 features the tried-and-tested Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) cruise and transmission control, which is specially tuned to the electric drive system. The anticipatory drivetrain control automatically takes into account the topography, course of the road and traffic signs for the most efficient style of driving. Route information from the navigation system is now included to facilitate better recognition of the situation on the road ahead. This allows the driver to avoid unnecessary braking, accelerating and shifting and to exploit the battery energy as efficiently as possible.
The new design language of the driver’s cab of the eActros 600 is characterized by particularly efficient aerodynamics. This is achieved with the large, completely closed and rounded-off front hood, an optimized bumper, including underbody paneling, an aerodynamically improved driver access and extended end flaps designed like sails. Air deflectors on the A-pillars, an additional spoiler on the roof and a sealed motor compartment complement the aerodynamic improvements to the cab. Over and above this, the cab is equipped with aluminum step plates, a new headlamp concept with matrix LED headlamps and an LED light strip. Mercedes-Benz Trucks markets the cab under the “ProCabin” name.
Specifically with battery electric trucks in long-haul operation, improved aerodynamics are of decisive importance as air resistance is one of the main factors influencing energy consumption. In addition, reduced air resistance means that more energy can be recovered through recuperation, leading to a longer range.
Extending the front by 80 millimeters made it possible to achieve the particularly aerodynamic shape of the new cab. This streamlined shape was developed in a multitude of in-house air-flow simulations as well as wind tunnel and on-the-road measurements. This enabled the ProCabin’s cW value to be lowered by nine percent6 in comparison to the Actros cab currently in series production. This aerodynamic improvement reduces the vehicle’s energy consumption and makes a decisive contribution to the range of 500 kilometers1 achieved by the eActros 600.
The eActros 600 is very quiet on the road for the benefit of the driver and its environment. To ensure that, for example, vulnerable road users such as pedestrians or cyclists can still notice the electric truck in their surroundings, it is equipped with an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) in accordance with legal requirements. Depending on the driving conditions, sounds are played for forward or reverse travel. In addition, the sound varies depending on the vehicle speed and accelerator pedal position, so that good acoustic perception is possible in urban traffic. The futuristic sound spectrum of the AVAS in the eActros 600 is designed to take into account the appearance of a heavy vehicle and to contribute to better recognizability in urban traffic. With the eActros 600, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is advancing its vision of accident-free driving. As was the case in previous years with the manufacturer’s vehicles, the installed safety assistance systems go beyond the legal requirements in many areas. This also applies to the General Safety Regulation adopted by the EU Commission. From mid-2024, the regulation prescribes the addition of systems as standard equipment for all new vehicles. The safety concept of the eActros 600 is based on the further development of tried-and-tested safety assistance systems. The basis for this is a completely new electronics platform which involves what is known as sensor fusion to merge radar and camera data for an even larger view to the front and side. For this purpose, the electronics platform offers 20 times higher data processing. The total of six installed sensors – 4 short range radars and one long-range radar – as well as the multifunction camera in the windshield cover an angle of 270 degrees around the vehicle.
The eActros 600 will be produced on the existing assembly line at the largest truck assembly plant of Mercedes-Benz Trucks in Wörth am Rhein – in parallel to and flexibly alongside the trucks that will continue to be equipped with a diesel drive. In Wörth, it will also be equipped with the electric drive components from the Mercedes-Benz plants in Mannheim, Gaggenau and Kassel. Like the Wörth site, the three locations are also undergoing a transformation from diesel technology to competence centers for emission-free transport. Installation in Wörth takes place in several production steps, including the installation of the electric axle, the high-voltage batteries and the front box, which is a complex technology module with several control units, high-voltage components and an electric air compressor. Once all high-voltage components have been installed, the entire system goes into operation and the truck is ready to drive.
….and not just on Faceache and Insta! I’ve had some inspirational guidance today, so I’ve been rekindling all the blog logins and links on the WWW site and I should now be back to being able to share my trucking ramblings with you all again…… Hello?!
In the last few months I have been updating Facey and the ‘Gram but now with the new options on WordPress (the blog software site) I can now get back to sharing on the WWW and it should share to both FB and IG. Some of the viewing figures on said social media platforms have been crazy, with some posts reaching well over half a million viewers! Now if only I knew how to make money out of the blog, I could start doing it for a real job. Is it only folk on the YouTube that get rich?!…… answers on a postcard……
Scania has launched its Sauna-Series cab, which has been specially designed to help drivers reduce their stress and improve their wellbeing on the road.
Available only on the S-Series vehicles, this edition includes a cab size sauna perfect for relaxing and taking the stress away.
Research carried out by Scania’s renowned Fiktiva department found that if a driver used the sauna for 45 minutes a day, they would sweat their problems away.
Vera Havinnuon, Head of Påhittad Technology at Scania AF, said: “We’ve been foolish not to focus on improving driver wellbeing. Some spend most of their week in the cab, so we’ve brought them some home comforts to improve their time on the road.
“After years of research and development, this was the most logical answer. The Sauna- Series is easy to use, perfect in all conditions, simple to maintain, and best of all, has a host of health benefits. All-in-all the project was no sweat for us.”
Research and testing showed that drivers who used the sauna were more productive than their other counterparts, with drivers claiming they could drive for an additional 4.5 hours a day – ‘no sweat’.
Each Sauna-Series truck comes equipped with an infrared heat cabin, designed to use minimal energy to heat up and doesn’t require extraction fans to remove steam. It means you can enjoy the sauna while watching TV, reading a book, doing admin or while having a nap.
To complement the Sauna-Series, Scania has produced a set of matching accessories to help you complete your look. Including a luxury, handcrafted set of towels and matching bathmat, which has been designed to absorb as much moisture as possible.
The first 250 people to register their interest in the Scania Sauna-Series will receive a luxury bathmat for free. It usually retails at £2,304.01.
Register your interest here: https://I www.scania.com/uk/en/home/products/trucks/sauna- series.html 😂
The long winter months are drawing on and I’m missing the truck show fraternity and the reminiscent fun we have at the various shows we get to. It’s an opportunity for us all to get together with other like minded folk who also enjoy the trucks that we fondly look back on from the golden years and also the modern day trucks that are comfier, safer and more eco friendly than their car equivalents. Its our favourite time of the year, suns out, tyres stay black and trucks stay clean, we even keep the breweries happy!
So what are your plans? I have no doubt there will be a couple of mini convoys, well I hope so anyway. I’m guessing there maybe a new show or two on the calendar if I can get along to them. I’d love to get to the Devin Truck show at some point, but that’ll likely be next year, I may do the Truckfest Southeast if it falls on the right weekend, of course I’ll do the Retro Truck Show and a maybe a couple more local shows, then fingers crossed I might just get the Gr814 along to the Truckstar Festival in Holland, although I might need to borrow someone’s fuel card! I also hope to do a few more jobs to the Gr814 before all this. I’d like to change the rear axle for a better gear ratio. I’d like to get the chassis shot blasted and repainted in factory gloss black. Finally if the budget allows, I’d love to get the cab painted too but I don’t think that’ll be this year because of both time and cash.
The other thing I’m looking forward to is catching up with and making new friends and acquaintances. Something about the trucking lot, that means there is never a lot of ice to be broken if any. We meet up with new people and we start talking, chatting or helping, this is where the romance of the roads originates. How often have you met a fellow driver, shared a table for dinner and a beer and then gone your separate ways and then met up again at a random delivery or overnight stop a year or so later. Well that’s much the same as the men’s bad women of the short circuit. We all know each other and we all get along but we may not see each other from one year to the next, but you just pick up where we left off. You also get to rub shoulders with the big boys, those who some expect to be different for some reason, but they are all drivers and truck nuts at heart. The generosity of people such as Richard Payne, Mark Farrow, Charles Russell, John Thomas, Fred Parker and a few others, almost knows no bounds. Always happy to help, always willing to get involved, totally approachable and won’t see anyone struggle, go short or miss out if they can help it. Proper old school bosses the lot of them! It seems that all of this is in the blood whether you’re driver or guv’nor we are all there for the craic, the beer and of course the trucks. Bring on the 2023 season and please, say hello.
Throughout the last century, more than 1.3 million trucks have hauled goods across the United States and Canada roadways with the Kenworth badge on the grill. In 2023, Kenworth begins a year-long celebration, commemorating its 100th anniversary and contributions to the transportation industry.
Kenworth Founders Harry W. Kent (top) and Edgar K. Worthington
That first year, the small Seattle truck manufacturer produced 78 gasoline-powered trucks. Since then, Kenworth has produced more than a million Class 5 to Class 8 models, and super heavy duty trucks, like the C500 6×6 with its gross combination weight rating of 1 million pounds. Kenworth is also now producing medium and heavy duty battery electric vehicles.
“Kenworth’s storied history over the past 100 years provides much to be proud about. From being the first U.S. truck manufacturer to offer a diesel engine as standard equipment in 1933 to selling Kenworth trucks with an electric powertrain today, it’s been quite a journey,” said Kevin Baney, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president.
“We’re also especially proud of our leadership in truck aerodynamics with the Kenworth T600 introduction in 1985. That model began the revolution in fuel-efficient trucks and its evolution has tremendously advanced in the new flagship T680 that sets industry standard today in truck aerodynamics,” said Baney.
Kenworth’s success and staying power in a competitive business can be traced back to a philosophy established early in the firm’s history. The goal was to build the right Kenworth truck for each customer’s application to get the job done and build that truck to last. That philosophy, which continues to be true to this day, resulted in Kenworth establishing a solid reputation for its quality, innovative and durable trucks driven by state-of-the-art technology.
“Kenworth has remained true to its core values since its founding,” said Baney. “We’ve achieved many amazing accomplishments in our first 100 years. But there’s more work to be done at Kenworth as we drive the next 100 years and continue our mission of producing The World’s Best trucks.”
Kenworth Truck Company, founded in 1923, is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Throughout 2023, Kenworth is celebrating its historic 100th anniversary. To learn more about the 100th anniversary celebration visit www.Kenworth100.com. Kenworth is “Driving the Next 100 Years.” Kenworth’s Internet home page is at http://www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company
Kenworth has introduced the T680 Signature Edition as part of the Kenworth 100th anniversary celebration during 2023.
The new offering is available with Kenworth’s 76-inch mid- and high-roof sleeper configurations. The Signature Edition Diamond VIT features a black interior with legacy red stitching accents throughout the cab and sleeper. The package also includes a Kenworth 100 branded GT703 seat with red accents special brushed platinum dash and door trim, and Kenworth 100 logo stitched into the sleeper back wall.
The Kenworth T680 Signature Edition exterior features a black onyx grille and side air intake, and prominent Kenworth 100 badges on the sleeper. An optional Kenworth 100 exhaust shield cutout and black anodized grille mesh are also available on mid-roof configurations. Also optional are new Alcoa stylized wheels with unique spoke patterns in Dura-Bright® and Dura-Black™ finishes.
Kenworth is also introducing four signature paint colors available on new Kenworth Class 8 and medium duty trucks. The new colors are Century Platinum, Century Black Red, Century Red and Century Gold.
“Today’s T680 is our most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient truck to date and carries on the legacy of the Kenworth T600 – the industry’s first truly aerodynamic model introduced in 1985. This Kenworth T680 Signature Edition is an excellent choice for both owner operators and for fleets seeking an outstanding reward truck for its top drivers,” said Jim Walenczak, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing.
The Kenworth T680 Signature Edition is available for order now. Visit your Kenworth dealer for more details. The production of the special edition is limited to Kenworth’s 2023 100th anniversary year.
Kenworth Truck Company, founded in 1923, is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Throughout 2023, Kenworth is celebrating its historic 100th anniversary. To learn more about the 100th anniversary celebration visit http://www.Kenworth100.com. Kenworth is “Driving the Next 100 Years.” Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.
Kenworth is celebrating its centennial throughout 2023. To commemorate this major historic milestone, today Kenworth introduced its 100th anniversary Kenworth W900 Limited Edition.“The Kenworth W900 is an all-time classic and iconic truck in the industry that is still admired on the road and at truck shows,” said Jim Walenczak, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “As a long-time staple of Kenworth’s history, there is no better way to kick off our year-long 100th anniversary celebration than by launching this Kenworth W900 Limited Edition.”
Kenworth W900 Limited Edition
The special model is available in three configurations – 86-inch Studio Sleeper, 72-inch Flat Top and Extended Day Cab. The all-black Limited Edition Diamond VIT has 100th anniversary. Other interior features include a special edition steering wheel, brushed platinum dash and door trim, and Kenworth 100 logos throughout on the doors and thresholds. A Kenworth 100 sofa bed is standard with the 86-inch Studio Sleeper.
Exterior elements include Kenworth 100 sleeper badges. A Kenworth 100 exhaust shield cutout and sun visor are optional. A special optional centennial 3-color paint design brings a classic, impactful look to the W900, and is only available with the 86-inch Studio Sleeper and 72-inch Flat Top.
Kenworth is also introducing four signature paint colors available on new Kenworth Class 8 and medium duty trucks. The new colors are Century Platinum, Century Black Red, Century Red and Century Gold.
“The W900 is a special truck and this Limited Edition is a great way to celebrate 100 years of Kenworth,” said Walenczak. “Only 900 of these trucks will be produced, so they will definitely become a showcase vehicle for owners who want a piece of Kenworth history.”
Each Kenworth W900 Limited Edition will be serialized – for example, 001 through 900 – in order of build date and sequence with a special Limited Edition badge on the glovebox. The units are limited to 2023 production which began this week.
To learn more about all the available specifications included in the Kenworth W900 Limited Edition visit your local Kenworth dealer.
Kenworth Truck Company, founded in 1923, is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Throughout 2023, Kenworth is celebrating its historic 100th anniversary. To learn more about the 100th anniversary celebration visit http://www.Kenworth100.com. Kenworth is “Driving the Next 100 Years.” Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.
Well it was a funny old year 2022 wasn’t it?! I have to say it was far to manic for my liking, too much panic and urgency, doesn’t suit my relaxed persona. I need to be more like the awesome Retro Truck Show weekend, relaxed, chilled out, talking only of happy things and enjoying other like minded peoples company. This video reminded me of said weekend, did anyone take a photo of the #Gr814 at all?? Lots of photographers there over the weekend and on the way out of the show….yes I want to see them despite my fuel cap being off.
I really hope to blog more again this year as compared to other truck sites, I don’t blog every day as much as i’d love too, life gets in the way. If you have anything to share, any of you want to write anything then please email me and I’ll pop it on the blog for us all to share and enjoy. I also hope to get to Assen this year with the #Gr814, but we will see and i also hope to get him painted before the show season too, but this has its own issues that i need to sort.
I look forward to an influx of photo’s in the next few days, in fact any of your own 814 photos would be cool please. Someone posted a great photo of two or three of them back in the day, all lined up in a yard, light blue cabs with dark blue bodies, all sleeper cabs, may been from the midlands some where, would love to see the photo again please for inspiration!
Email me or leave a photo in the comments below: ben@truckbloguk
www.truckblog.co.uk 
