The electric truck clocking 1,000 kilometres a day

September 16, 2025

2 min read

A German logistics firm is testing electric long-haul lorries on a 1,000-kilometre daily cross-country route, charging at its own depot and en route at public facilities.

Since May, Logistik Schmitt has been operating two battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 lorries on a 1,000-kilometre daily loop between Daimler Buses in Mannheim and Leipzig.

The testing is taking place in advance of the rollout of 23 series-production eActros 600 units to their fleet. The company recently took delivery of the first five vehicles, and to support the deployment, Logistik Schmitt has installed its own depot charging infrastructure.

Logistik Schmitt has collaborated with Mercedes-Benz Trucks on electric vehicle trials since 2019. The company previously trialled an eActros 300 prototype on a 168-kilometre shuttle route between Ötigheim and Daimler’s Gaggenau plant. Since 2023, six eActros 300 tractor units have been in use for internal logistics at Daimler Truck facilities.

The eActros 600 is designed for long-distance freight and is equipped with three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs, each rated at 207 kWh, for a total installed battery capacity of 621 kWh. Mercedes-Benz Trucks reports a range of up to 500 kilometres without intermediate charging under typical conditions, with daily distances exceeding 1,000 kilometres possible when recharged during statutory driver breaks, assuming suitable infrastructure is in place.

The vehicle supports a gross combination weight of up to 44 tonnes and offers a payload of around 22 tonnes with a standard semi-trailer. The lorry has been designed to match the durability of comparable diesel lorries, with a target lifespan of 1.2 million kilometres over ten years. Battery state of health is expected to remain above 80% at the end of this period, based on internal test data.