Charging into the future with e-trucks

DW (English)

Trucks are essential for transport, but they also have massive carbon footprint. Battery electric trucks could be part of the solution. But can e-trucks handle long distances?

Transcript

00:00This e-ACTRO 600 Daimler truck is out on a delivery.

00:05It's the first e-truck with a range of 500 km on a single charge.

00:10Stef Engelmann is testing the truck for Remandus,

00:13one of Europe's largest recycling enterprises.

00:16The battery will be fully recharged at the depot overnight,

00:19which will take about 6 to 8 hours.

00:21Remandus Group already has a fleet of some 250 e-trucks,

00:25but this one has the longest range.

00:28Will the truck manage the promised 500 km?

00:34Mercedes Daimler wasn't kidding.

00:37We'd manage 500 km on the road, no problem.

00:42Recharged with green electricity,

00:45the trucks are nearly carbon neutral during operation.

00:48But for the driver, recharging on the road is still the most important issue.

00:52After all, he also wants to make it home.

00:55A speedy recharge requires a high voltage current and heavy-duty chargers.

00:59Then it takes just 20 minutes to go from 20 to 80 percent capacity.

01:03But there still aren't nearly enough of these megawatt charging systems.

01:07We need a large-scale public charging infrastructure.

01:11The manufacturers are ready.

01:13They are building a lot of vehicles, also in series production.

01:16But in terms of infrastructure, we have a lot of catching up to do.

01:22Daimler Trucks' home base is in southwestern Germany.

01:25They're the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer.

01:29Here on the test track, the e-truck is being put through its paces.

01:33Several hundred experts spent eight years developing it.

01:37Michael Wolff is the project manager.

01:42Okay, we're going to brake quickly. Careful, hang on.

01:46The e-truck retails for about 250,000 euros.

01:50Over 100,000 euros more than a comparable diesel model.

01:54Daimler says mass production will help lower the price.

01:57Top speed is 80 kilometers an hour, the speed limit for trucks on Germany's Autobahn.

02:07And it's brimming with radar distance sensors.

02:12And innovative mirror cams.

02:14Three battery packs weigh 4.5 metric tons in all and generate a peak output of 600 kilowatts.

02:25E-trucks are also quieter than their conventional diesel counterparts,

02:29and other manufacturers are getting on board.

02:31Dutch manufacturer DAF's e-truck has a range of nearly 500 kilometers.

02:36Sweden's Scania e-truck clocks in at 350 kilometers.

02:40And MAN's 2025 release will sport a range of 400 kilometers.

02:47Ramondi bought its first e-truck some time ago.

02:50For the company, it makes good financial sense.

02:58Affordable electricity in my home depot and the toll exemption are two advantages over diesel.

03:04And when I drive a longer distance, it starts to pay off.

03:07In early 2024, Germany ended its purchase subsidies for e-trucks.

03:12Not long before, though, motorway tolls for diesel trucks were doubled

03:16with the aim of encouraging the switch away from diesel,

03:19much to the annoyance of Germany's trucking industry.

03:25Back behind the wheel,

03:27Steph Engelmann says the switch to electric does take some getting used to.

03:37Instead of my foot, I'll apply the brake by hand.

03:41There's a hill, so I'll dial back the accelerator.

03:44My feet are on the floor.

03:46Now we're too fast, so I'll switch to recuperation,

03:50which is like putting the brake on the electric motor.

03:55As they coast downhill, the battery charge increases from 82 to 83 percent.

04:01The trucking industry says Germany needs to reintroduce subsidies

04:05for e-trucks to boost domestic sales.

04:08But at the end of the day, it's range that will matter most.

04:12And e-truck makers haven't yet reached the end of the road.

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