Mercedes eActros 600 retested in winter - consumption increased by 25 per cent and sometimes 50 per cent
Even though the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric tractor has already been put into series production and even won the Truck of the Year 2025 award, Daimler Truck has decided to test its capabilities once again - this time in the winter conditions of Northern Europe.
Here's What We Know
The two trucks with a total combination weight of 40 tonnes went on a 16-day test run of 6,500 kilometres across 10 European countries. The test started in Germany, then the trucks travelled through Denmark, Sweden, Finland, reached the Arctic Circle, and then returned through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria. More than half of the route followed the same roads as the northern part of the nearly seven-week "European Testing Tour" that took place in the summer of 2024.
European tour of the eActros 600 on winter roads. Photo: Daimler Truck
Temperatures during the trip ranged from -18 to +9 degrees Celsius. The average daily speed ranged from 64 to 77 kilometres per hour. An analysis of the route section travelled after a cold start at an average temperature of -2 degrees Celsius and on energy efficiency class B tyres on a snow-free road surface showed an increase in energy consumption of around 25 percent compared to the same distance on energy efficiency class A tyres.
- 5 per cent went to maintaining a cabin temperature of 21°C;
- Less than 1 per cent for battery heating;
- 15 per cent for increased rolling resistance and air resistance;
- 4% for reduced regeneration efficiency.
Jochen Gottstein, test manager for energy consumption and driving range at Daimler Truck, explained that ultimately aerodynamics and rolling resistance have a significant impact on a truck's fuel consumption, regardless of drive type. Higher air density at reduced temperatures in winter always leads to increased air resistance - and therefore increased energy consumption. The tyres required for winter driving also have a higher rolling resistance and increase consumption.
On particularly challenging routes with predominantly snow-covered and partially icy roads, the increase in energy consumption reached almost 50 per cent compared to driving in summer on performance class A tyres. The rolling resistance of the Scandinavian energy efficiency class D tyres, which were developed for these extreme winter conditions, played a significant role in this.
European tour of the eActros 600 on winter roads. Photo: Daimler Truck
Daimler claims that drivers won't freeze even when working in extreme cold. During the test, the cabin temperature was kept at 21°C during the day and 19°C at night, with only a 2-5% loss of driving range. According to the engineers, the electric truck doesn't need to save on heating, and even in winter, the eActros 600 is able to reach its destination by charging exclusively at public charging stations.
Mercedes-Benz eActros 600
The eActros 600 has three lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cell battery packs, each with a capacity of 207 kWh. They provide an installed total capacity of 621 kWh. The eActros 600 is designed to meet the same vehicle and component durability requirements as a comparable conventional heavy-duty long-haul Actros. This means up to 1.2 million kilometres over ten years of operation. After this period of use, the residual capacity of the batteries should exceed 80 per cent.
Technically, the vehicle is designed for a gross combination weight of up to 44 tonnes. With a standard semi-trailer, the eActros 600 has a payload of around 22 tonnes in the EU. In some cases, national legislation may authorise higher payloads.
Series production of the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 began at the end of November last year.
Source: Daimler Truck
