1 week Ago By Carla Westerheide
Positioned by Mercedes-Benz Trucks since 2013 as a truck for the construction industry, the Arocs has so far only been available with a diesel engine. At Bauma, the manufacturer presented an electric version – available as a 32- and 41-tonner in the 8×4 axle configuration and built as a concrete mixer or construction tipper. The start of sales is planned for the first quarter of 2026.
However, only a limited number of eArocs will be available. Mercedes-Benz Trucks says ‘a small series of 150 vehicles per year is currently planned for the eArocs 400 for selected EU30 markets’. In addition to the regular 27 EU member states, the electric truck will also be available in Norway, Switzerland and the UK.
While the eArocs is coming off the production line at the Wörth plant in Germany together with its diesel equivalents, it is retrofitted with its electric drive system. The electric powertrain is not integrated by Mercedes-Benz Trucks itself, but by the Paul Group, based in Vilshofen an der Donau, which is a well-known name in the field of special-purpose vehicle construction in this country. The eArocs is now the fourth electrified series in the Mercedes-Benz Trucks portfolio, following the eActros 300/400 for distribution transport, the similar eEconic for municipal use and the eActros 600 for long-distance transport.
According to the manufacturer, the eAcros also adopts key components from the latter, such as the front box , the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and the power take-off (PTO). The front box is a unit in the former engine compartment that combines control units, high-voltage components and the electric air compressor. With the LFP batteries, the eArocs 400 is actually more closely related to the eActros 600 than to the eActros 400.
Although the latter offers a similar energy content (the 400 is the eponym for around 400 kWh of energy content), it uses NMC batteries. However, years ago, Daimler Truck announced that it would switch to LFP. The group remains true to this announcement and now installs two LFP packs from CATL with 207 kWh gross battery capacity each in the eArocs, thus one less pack compared to the eActros 600.
Ninety-five per cent of the gross capacity can be utilised. Each pack weighs 1.5 tonnes, which means that the battery in the new electric construction site truck weighs three tonnes.
The two battery packs are housed in a battery tower directly behind the cab. This is clearly different from the 600 series, where the three battery packs are installed between the axles. The reason for this is likely to be the retrofitting of the electric drive components by the Paul Group.
The electric central motor itself delivers 380 kW of continuous power and 450 kW of peak power – and is coupled to a three-speed gearbox. Furthermore, planetary axles can still be used to ensure the ground clearance and off-road capability required for construction site use. The system is designed for 800 volts and, according to the manufacturer, is significantly more efficient, ensuring that ‘the eArocs 400 is at least 50 per cent more energy-efficient than a comparable diesel truck’.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks estimates the range for the concrete mixer to be up to 200 kilometres, while the tipper variant can go up to 240 kilometres on one charge (each for the 32-tonne variant). The XXL electric truck can be charged with up to 400 kW of charging power via the CCS plug, just like the eActros 600. Charging sockets are installed on both sides.
It is said that the batteries can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in about 45 minutes. In addition to the choice between 32- and 41-tonne 8×4 axle configurations, customers can also choose between four different wheelbases. Inside, the truck boasts a modern, networked cockpit including a 12-inch instrument display and touchscreen.
Many functions can be activated by voice control in the eAcros. The German company also highlights a new ‘Favourites’ menu with direct access to construction-specific functions (such as PTOs) and a comprehensive safety package with all kinds of driving assistants. As far as the bodies are concerned, Meiller will supply the tipper and Liebherr a mixing drum variant.
On show at the Bauma is an eArocs 400 with the ‘lightweight’ version of the HTM 905 mixer body from Liebherr with a hydraulic drum drive. The drum has a capacity of 9 cubic metres. The truck mixer’s hydraulic pump draws its energy from the high-voltage batteries of the eArocs 400, with the PTO installed in the electric truck converting the electrical energy into hydraulic energy.
A variant of the eArocs 400 with a fully electric mixing drum can also be seen at the trade fair – namely at CIFA parent company Zoomlion, which displays its E10 truck mixer from the ENERGYA series with a nominal volume of 10 cubic metres and a gross vehicle weight of up to 44 tonnes. Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said the new eArocs 400s will bring electrification to the construction industry. “Following the distribution and long-haul transport, we are continuing to expand our product range of battery-electric trucks.
Now, it is crucial that policymakers promote the development of the charging infrastructure and create the necessary framework conditions for the economic operation of these vehicles,” he said. Stina Fagerman, Head of Marketing, Sales and Services Mercedes-Benz Trucks, added that the range of the eArocs 400 is designed to cover the main applications for near-road construction transport. And: “Thanks to its battery drive, it is therefore particularly suitable for use in restricted or noise-sensitive environments such as inner cities or residential areas.
” daimlertruck.com.
