• Mercedes-Benz Trucks is focusing on e-trucks in its own supply chain and aims to electrify 100 percent of delivery traffic to its largest truck plant by the end of 2026
• Twelve e-trucks handed over to customers as an integral part of Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ inbound logistics concept for emission-free delivery traffic
• Inauguration of further charging facilities in the plant’s delivery zone
• Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “Electric trucks can already cover the majority of delivery routes over short and medium distances. We want to leave the smallest possible carbon footprint across the entire value chain. This also includes the topic of inbound logistics at our Wörth plant. We are happy that many of our logistics partners are now switching to the all-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros and driving the transformation of the industry forward with us.”
• New consulting service developed by Mercedes-Benz Trucks based on the experience gained in Wörth: Partner program “ELA” (Electrified Logistics Accelerated) for industrial companies without their own fleets
• Andreas Scharff, Head of eMobility Sales and Dealer Network Development Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “With the project to electrify plant logistics at the Wörth production site, we have done real pioneering work together with our colleagues. It is now all the more important for us to share this expertise with other industrial companies and thus fuel the transformation to sustainable logistics and make a joint contribution to effective CO₂ With our ELA program, we are therefore deliberately expanding our consulting and service portfolio towards industrial companies.”
• eActros 300 initially in use as a low-liner variant in Wörth inbound logistics as part of a pilot project – small series production from mid-2024 and orders can be placed from January 2024

Leinfelden-Echterdingen / Wörth – Mercedes-Benz Trucks is driving forward the transformation of the transport industry towards CO₂-neutral drives and is also relying on electric trucks in its own supply chain. In its anniversary year 2023, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth is taking a decisive step towards the electrification of plant traffic: numerous logistics partners are taking delivery of around 20 battery-electric eActros 300s for use in inbound logistics. The handover of the first twelve vehicles to the logistics service providers was celebrated at the Wörth plant on December 4. From the first quarter of 2024, these vehicles will be used to carry out around 50 all-electric transports to the Wörth plant every day. Mercedes-Benz Trucks has developed the “ELA” (Electrified Logistics Accelerated) consulting service based on the expertise gained in the course of this project. The specialized ELA consultants from Mercedes-Benz Trucks support other industrial companies in the electrification of their plant logistics.

The project to electrify inbound logistics in Wörth is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport with a total of around 3 million euros as part of the directive on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems and the associated refueling and charging infrastructure (KsNI). The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and applications are approved by the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office.

“Electric trucks can already cover the majority of delivery routes over short and medium distances,” says Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “We want to leave the smallest possible carbon footprint across the entire value chain. This also includes the topic of inbound logistics at our Wörth plant. We are happy that many of our logistics partners are now switching to the all-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros and driving the transformation of the industry forward with us. For some of our logistics partners, this means entering the world of e-mobility. Our team is actively supporting them with consulting and service offerings.”

“The fact that we are now taking the first decisive steps here in Wörth demonstrates the innovative strength of the plant, just in time for its 60th anniversary this year,” continues Rådström.

Michael Theurer, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, delivered a message on the delivery of the first vehicles: “I am pleased about the successful use of our funding, which is helping to bring climate-friendly commercial vehicles onto the roads. With the committed implementation of emission-free delivery transport at the Wörth plant, Daimler Truck is sending a clear signal: e-mobility can also work excellently on a large scale and with heavy commercial vehicles.”

The first logistics partners to use the eActros 300 are:

• Alfred Schuon GmbH, Haiterbach
• DHL Freight GmbH, Bonn
• Edgar Rothermel Internationale Spedition GmbH, Östringen
• fachspedition karl dischinger GmbH, Ehrenkirchen
• Große-Vehne Speditions-GmbH, Kornwestheim
• Hans Geis GmbH + Co KG, Bad Neustadt
• Hubert Eichenlaub Transporte und Spedition GmbH, Herxheim
• Lakner Spedition + Logistik GmbH & Co. KG, Schwäbisch Gmünd
• LDB Logistik GmbH, Bühl
• Paul Schockemöhle Logistics Group GmbH, Steinfeld
• Schenker Deutschland AG, Frankfurt am Main
• Seifert Logistics GmbH, Ulm
• Spedition NUSS GmbH, Wörth am Rhein
• Toni Hotz Transporte GmbH, Offenbach an der Quaich
• TROHA SPEDITION, Jacques-Michel Tropf e.K., Hagenbach
• Walter Schmitt GmbH, Bietigheim
• Wiedmann & Winz GmbH, Geislingen an der Steige 

Suitable charging infrastructure for e-trucks at the Wörth plant

One integral part of Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ future inbound logistics concept for emission-free delivery traffic is the development of an in-house charging infrastructure at the Wörth site. Following the inauguration of a pilot charging station in the summer of this year, the next five charging stations will now be installed directly in various delivery areas within the plant as well as two charging stations in the truck parking lot in front of the plant gate by the end of the year.

A total of around 30 charging stations, including megawatt charging stations for high-performance battery charging, will initially be installed at key points for delivery traffic in the immediate vicinity of production at the Wörth plant. The parts used in production are delivered just-in-time to the assembly line. In future, the time during which the e-truck's cargo is unloaded will be used to recharge the vehicle's battery. Ideally, the vehicle will therefore not have to plan any further downtime and can resume its route immediately after the delivery of the parts. In addition, the possibility of re-bundling and thus optimizing delivery flows in the transport network in a new consolidation center near the site is currently being examined.

A holistic consulting approach was crucial for the electrification of Wörth’s inbound logistics. From the outset, both logistics and charging infrastructure experts from Mercedes-Benz Trucks were in close contact with the logistics companies involved on topics that went far beyond pure vehicle procurement. In addition to the required charging infrastructure at the logistics hubs, the main focus here was on a precise analysis of incoming and outgoing routes for supplying the production site and planning the charging points.

Consulting concept developed for other industrial companies

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is now offering a special consulting program called “ELA” (Electrified Logistics Accelerated) with the aim of supporting other industrial companies without their own fleet in electrifying their logistics processes in the future. The main aim here is to work together with these companies to evaluate possible routes to be electrified in the area of their inbound and outbound logistics, to create optimal route planning with corresponding charging points with the involvement of the respective fleet operators and to design individual charging solutions for both industrial companies and hauliers on this basis.

Andreas Scharff, Head of eMobility Sales and Dealer Network Development Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “With the project to electrify plant logistics at the Wörth production site, we have done real pioneering work together with our colleagues. It is now all the more important for us to share this expertise with other industrial companies and thus fuel the transformation to sustainable logistics and make a joint contribution to effective CO₂ reduction. With our ELA program, we are therefore deliberately expanding our consulting and service portfolio towards industrial companies.”

About the eActros 300/400 – in use at the Wörth plant as a rigid truck, tractor unit and lowliner

The battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 300/400 for heavy-duty distribution transport has been rolling off the production line at the Wörth plant as a rigid variant since 2021. The batteries of the distribution truck consist of either three (eActros 300) or four battery packs (eActros 400), each with an installed capacity of 112 kWh.[1] The eActros 300 has a range of up to 330 kilometers[2], while the eActros 400 has a range of up to 400 kilometers[3] without intermediate charging.

The eActros 300 tractor unit is based on the same technology as the rigid variant of the eActros 300. Three battery packs, each with an installed battery capacity of 112 kWh[4], give the tractor unit a range of up to 220 km[5] on a single charge. The eActros 300 can be charged with up to 160 kW: The three battery packs require just over an hour at a standard DC fast-charging station with 400 A charging current to be charged from 20 to 80 percent.[6]

The eActros 300 tractor unit is also available – initially as a pilot project for selected customers in plant logistics – as a lowliner version, which is particularly suitable for use with mega trailers and in automotive logistics. The eActros 300 as a lowliner can also be a suitable solution for volume transports that require an interior height of up to three meters. The eActros 300 Lowliner will be produced as a small series from next year and will be available to order from January 2024.

Anniversary year 2023: 60 years Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ largest truck assembly plant in Wörth am Rhein was founded in 1963. Since the beginning, around 4.4 million trucks have been built here. Today, these are the Actros, Arocs and Atego series. The Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks Econic, Unimog and Zetros are also built in Wörth. Series production of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 300/400 started in 2021, followed by the second Mercedes-Benz eEconic electric series truck in 2022 and the eActros 600 was unveiled to the world in October 2023. It will go into series production in Wörth at the end of 2024. With around 10,000 employees, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth is the second-largest employer in Rhineland-Palatinate.

[1] Nominal capacity of new battery, based on internally defined boundary conditions, may vary depending on use case and ambient conditions.

[2] The range was determined within the company under optimal conditions with 3 preconditioned battery modules for partially loaded distribution haulage without a trailer with a 4x2 axle configuration at an outside temperature of 20 °C.

[3] The range was determined internally under optimal conditions, including: with 4 battery packs, after pre-conditioning, in a partially laden vehicle, used in short-radius distribution, without trailer, at 20 °C exterior temperature.

[4] Nominal capacity of new battery, based on internally defined boundary conditions, may vary depending on use case and ambient conditions.

[5] The range was determined in-company under optimum conditions, for example with 3 high-voltage battery modules after preconditioning, partially laden in distribution haulage with a trailer, and at an outside temperature of 20 °C.

[6] The eActros can be charged with up to 160 kW: Based on figures determined in accordance with company-internal experience, under optimal conditions – including when connected to a regular 400A DC charging station at an ambient temperature of 20 °C – the three battery packs need a little longer than 1 hour to charge from 20 to 80%.