Past forward. Fast forward.

In 1896, Gottlieb Daimler invented the truck – a revolutionary new vehicle concept that has kept the world moving ever since. And ever since, we’ve been reinventing it – for our customers and society. We are therefore not only celebrating 130 years of trucks. We are celebrating 130 years of FORWARD. Throughout the year, we will highlight milestones of this unique journey with our anniversary FORWARD series.

#1: Pioneering transportation

Past forward, with the first truck back in 1896, Gottlieb Daimler laid the foundation for modern transportation and created what would become the global backbone of economy and society. Even the first truck built in Germany’s Stuttgart region was sold to a company in London – an early sign of the international significance of this innovation.

Fast forward, our Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 is decarbonizing long-haul trucking in Europe. 130 years after creating modern transportation, we’re now decarbonizing it – and we’re doing so at the speed of right, in line with our customers and market demand.

Daimler Truck – forward by innovation

#2: Pioneering beyond borders

Past forward, in 1951, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Virrey del Pino, Argentina, was inaugurated. It was the first Mercedes‑Benz commercial vehicle production site outside Germany. A bold step, driven by pioneers who believed in customers, markets and opportunities beyond borders. The LO 3500 was basically both: the first truck built in Argentina and the platform for the very first bus.

Fast forward, in May 2026, we take the next bold step, moving production to a new state-of-the-art industrial center in Zárate. Built on 20 hectares – roughly the size of 30 soccer fields – the new site is located near the port and combines manufacturing with a Spare Parts and Components Logistics Center. This improves logistic processes and will make us even faster in serving our customers.

Daimler Truck – forward beyond borders

#3: Power to drive

Past forward, the first truck was powered by an engine called "Phoenix“. It was a four-horsepower-strong two-cylinder engine located at the rear and originating from a car. The name “Phoenix” symbolized rebirth and a technological breakthrough – a fitting metaphor for the leap from the belt-driven motor carriages to the modern automobile and truck.

Fast forward, our trucks are powered by state-of the art engines like the OM 471 Gen 3, produced in Mannheim. The engine delivers up to four percent lower fuel consumption than its predecessor and is one of our most efficient Mercedes‑Benz Trucks diesel engines to date, helping our customers to save fuel day after day. The result: lower total cost of ownership for our customers.

Daimler Truck – forward by Technology

#4: Pioneering coach travel

Past forward, in 1951, Otto Kässbohrer introduced his first self-supporting bus. Rather than a chassis with a body on top, it was designed as one unified structure. This innovation was driven by a shortage of truck chassis required for post-war reconstruction. The German term “selbsttragend” (self-supporting) inspired the brand’s name Setra, and the S 8 became the world’s first integral coach. This new concept significantly increased interior space and passenger comfort.

Fast forward, the Setra S 516 HDH — Coach of the Year 2026 — represents the evolution of this groundbreaking principle. Awarded by a jury of 24 European trade journalists, it stands for outstanding comfort, efficiency, design, and safety technologies. As a premium touring coach, the S 516 HDH combines advanced driver‑assistance systems, a luxurious interior, strong engine performance, and a modern high‑deck architecture. What began as a structural innovation has developed into a benchmark for high‑tech, future‑ready coach travel.

Daimler Truck – forward by innovation

#5: Rethinking collaboration

Past forward, collaboration was powered by the tools of its time: typewriters, in-house mail, and pneumatic tube systems defined how people communicated – on paper, on site and often in the very same room. Already back then, progress was created by people. People who challenged conventions, solved problems together and found ways to move forward.

Fast forward, collaboration is hybrid, global and constantly evolving. Today’s digital communication tools enable teams to connect seamlessly across locations and time zones. And with our principles, “Simpler. Faster. Stronger.”, we are opening a new chapter in collaboration: We strengthen our focus on what matters, accelerate decisions and execution, and elevate ownership and impact. Yet one thing remains unchanged: it’s the people that continue to make the difference.

Daimler Truck – forward by people

#YOUMAKEUS

#6: Software-defined trucking

Past forward, making trucks smarter meant adding hardware. Our colleagues were working on dozens of computing units which managed individual functions such as safety systems. A new feature or update was often a physical integration challenge. The digitalization and connectivity of our vehicles began in the year 2000 with Fleetboard – a major innovation at the time. We gradually made the truck more intelligent and more connected by enhancing hardware components and individual controllers – however, complexity was growing exponentially.

Fast forward, the truck becomes software-defined: With our joint venture Coretura, we reduce the number of computing units, moving to more centralized high-performing computers, and decouple hardware and software by creating a truck operating system. This runs on the high-performance computers and provides standard interfaces for customer applications, while differentiating applications remain mostly manufacturer specific. This shift enables us to develop complex functionalities like safety and assistance systems purely through software – without hardware changes and largely without involving suppliers. As a result, we serve our customers faster with new functionalities, increase development speed, and benefit from lower development costs with zero additional material cost.

Daimler Truck – forward by technology