The steady growth in electric vehicle popularity, production, and sales is worthy of celebration, but it often eclipses the advancements in EV technology within the business sector. Beneath the proliferation of EVs, Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG just launched two new electric trucks to bolster its fleet.
"With our dedicated energy supply and the latest vehicle solutions, we can deliver sustainable road transport at scale," said Stefan Oberhauser, a branch manager of lands and logistics at the company, per electrive.
These two eActros 600 trucks will bolster a growing fleet that should include 14 by the end of the year, with more on the way throughout 2026. The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is an electric long-haul truck designed specifically for heavy transport with an extensive range.
Running on a 621-kilowatt-hour battery, the eActros 600 has a range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) and is capable of hauling 22 tons over the full distance. It features a ProCabin chassis built with aerodynamics in mind to achieve its maximum range with a full payload.
In 2022, long-haul trucks in the United States produced 413 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, a 75% increase in 12 years, according to data provided by Statista. Replacing them with electric variations would have a tangible impact on annual CO2 pollution.
Currently, long-haul diesel trucks maintain a range advantage of 1,000 to 1,200 miles between fuel stops, compared to the eActros' 310 miles. However, even with the range gap shrinking, environmental considerations are changing the dynamics of the conversation.
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Unsurprisingly, most people want to breathe cleaner air, and although replacing entire fleets of diesel semitrucks with electric alternatives will take time, the result is a brighter, cleaner future for everyone, without breaking the large-scale transportation business.
While range is a legitimate comparison, electric long-haul variations offer some unique advantages of their own, such as significantly reduced transportation costs and less noise pollution, the former generating an immediate impact on the costs of goods for consumers.
Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG is based in Austria, where market adoption of EV long-haul trucks is more straightforward. In the U.S., the approach is more varied and complex.
For instance, California's Advanced Clean Trucks Act, aimed at fleet electrification, was effectively stopped this year. Additionally, the U.S. Senate revoked a federal electric truck sales mandate.
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Yes — in the next 6 months 🙌 Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation still retain various initiatives aimed at supporting electric long-haul truck development. Ultimately, the U.S. still has 17,500 zero-emission trucks in service.
However, eActros 600 adoption extends beyond just Austria and the U.S., with Germany, the Netherlands, and France among 15 countries total, according to electrive.
Even better, the trucks can be recharged in 30 to 90 minutes. Gebrüder Weiss will build more charging stations "to enable rapid charging and thus efficient operation," per electrive.
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