Prestige success for Daimler trucks: The US company Amazon orders 200 heavy electric trucks for its European freight transport from the German car manufacturer’s truck subsidiary. The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 vehicles are to be integrated into the online retailer’s network this year, as Amazon announced in Munich. Accordingly, over 140 in Great Britain drive, in Germany A good 50. So far – since the turn of the year – 38 electric trucks have been in use at Amazon in Europe.
“This is an important milestone for us,” Andreas Marschner, vice president of Amazon Worldwide Operations Sustainability, told Reuters. “Decarbonizing heavy-duty transportation is the most difficult part of transportation.” According to Amazon, this is the company’s largest order of electric trucks to date. The 40-ton trucks will be used in the medium-haul network between fulfillment centers, sorting centers and delivery bases.
Electric truck with a range of 500 kilometers
The eActros 600 has a range of 500 kilometers and, according to Marschner, is therefore well suited for Amazon’s delivery network. To support the use of trucks, Amazon is setting up a network of 360-kilowatt fast-charging stations at its locations. These can charge a truck from 20 to 80 percent in less than an hour, “which is also compatible with the drivers’ legally required breaks,” explains Marschner.
The online retailer wants to become CO2 neutral by 2040. In Europe, Amazon plans to invest one billion euros over several years in the electrification of its transport network, according to previous company information. Last year, Amazon doubled the number of its electric delivery cars in Germany to a good 600, which are manufactured by the US company Rivian.
In the five major cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt, Amazon now also has packages delivered using electric cargo bikes.