Daimler Trucks Held The Worldwide Launch Of Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell Truck Concept

New Technology Strategy for Electricity Introduced

Martin Daum, Chairman of Daimler Truck AG and Board Member of Daimler AG, and Sven Ennerst, Board Member Responsible for Development, Purchasing and China Region of Daimler Truck AG, introduced the new technology strategy at a special virtual event held in Berlin. Among the speakers was Andreas Scheuer, Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany.

At the event, it was emphasized that with the technology introduced by Daimler Trucks, a range of 1,000 kilometers and more can be reached with a tank of fuel in difficult long-distance operations. Daimler Trucks is planning to begin customer testing for the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck in 2023 and to start mass production within ten years. Thanks to the use of liquid hydrogen, which offers higher energy density instead of gas, the vehicle's performance is aimed to be at the same level as an equivalent diesel truck.

Daimler Trucks is also introducing a fully electric long-haul truck with the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul. The vehicle offers extremely efficient driving on planned routes. Daimler Trucks is planning 2024 for the mass production of the eActros LongHaul model. The vehicle is expected to reach a range of around 500 km with a single battery charge. With the Mercedes-Benz eActros for the distribution sector, which was introduced in 2018 and has been extensively tested by customers in daily transportation since then, Daimler Trucks is also launching a fully battery-electric heavy truck into series production starting next year. The mass-produced battery-electric eActros prototype will have a range of more than 200 kilometers.

The ePowertrain, a new global modular platform architecture, is the technological foundation for all of Daimler Trucks' local medium and heavy CO2 neutral electric trucks, whether battery-electric or hydrogen-based fuel cell. While the new platform stands out with its high performance, efficiency and durability, Daimler Trucks plans to benefit from synergy and economies of scale in both vehicles and related markets with this platform.

Real Local CO2 Neutral Alternatives for Truck Customers

Martin Daum said in his assessment that; “We continue to pursue our vision of CO2 neutral (zero carbon emission) transportation. In doing so, we focus on truly local CO2 neutral battery and hydrogen-based fuel cell technologies, with potential long-term use in the market. With this combination, we can offer our customers the most suitable options for their intended use. The easier the charging and the shorter the distance, the more the battery stands out. The heavier the load and the longer the distance, the more preferred the fuel cell will be. Our customers make logical and realistic purchasing decisions and do not want to compromise on the daily use, tonnage and range of their trucks. With Mercedes-Benz's GenH2 Truck, eActros LongHaul and eActros alternative drive concepts, electric trucks from Freightliner and FUSO brands, we focus on customer needs and create true local CO2 neutral alternatives for them. We have identified the main technological features of our electric trucks. We are at the point where we can meet the needs of users. Implementing the right solution is up to legal regulations as much as user requirements. To make CO2-neutral all-electric vehicles more common and attractive, regulations and inspections are needed, as well as necessary infrastructure solutions, including environmentally friendly electric charging and producing and storing environmentally friendly liquid hydrogen.