HANNOVER, Germany—The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is the International Truck of the Year 2025, according to commercial vehicle journalists from 24 European countries. The award is based on which truck had the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency, and the eActros beat out the Volvo FH Aero and Iveco S-eWay.
The jury praised the innovative overall technological concept of the heavy-duty long-haul truck, which impressed with its range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) without intermediate charging as part of the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024”—a more than 15,000-kilometer-long (9,320 miles), all-electric development journey through a total of 22 countries, with a gross combination mass of 40 tonnes (88,185 lb.).
Along the entire route, the two long-haul trucks were charged exclusively at public charging points.
Here at IAA Transportation 2024, an eActros 600 delivered pastries to the company’s booth in time for the opening press conference, noted Karin Rådström, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and incoming CEO of Daimler Trucks.
“The business case [for electric trucks] looks good for many customers already,” Rådström said from the presentation stage, ahead of the award announcement. “This should send a message to the politicians in Berlin: The trucks are ready; the infrastructure must follow.”
Rådström and outgoing Daimler Trucks CEO Martin Daum received the award at an IAA Transportation 2024 event in Hanover from Gianenrico Griffini, chairman of the ITotY jury.
“From the very beginning, Mercedes-Benz Trucks designed the eActros 600 as an electric truck. The result is a state-of-the-art battery-electric vehicle that is adept at a wide range of long-distance applications,” announced Gianenrico Griffini, summing up the jury’s decision.
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About the 2025 International Truck of the Year
According to the jury rules, the ITotY title is awarded annually to the truck that has made the most significant contribution to innovations in road transport in terms of efficiency, emissions, safety, vehicle dynamics, and comfort. Since the introduction of the International Truck of the Year award in 1977, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has now won the title 10 times in total. This year, the manufacturer also impressed the jury for the first time with a battery-electric vehicle.
The eActros 600 will even be able to cover well over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) per day, according to the company. Intermediate charging during statutory driver breaks—even without megawatt charging—makes this possible, provided that charging options are available. In addition to CCS charging with up to 400 kW, the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging.
Visually, the long-haul electric truck is characterized by a fundamentally new, minimalist design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks will celebrate the start of series production of the eActros 600 at the end of November this year at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. The first eActros 600 customer vehicles will be manufactured and registered before the end of 2024.
This article was originally published on FleetOwner.com
