The German commercial vehicle manufacturer Daimler Truck has secured the largest order for electric trucks in the company's history.
Amazon has ordered 200 heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric trucks, the online retailer announced on Monday. "This is an important milestone for us," Andreas Marschner, Vice President of Amazon Worldwide Operations Sustainability, told the Reuters news agency. "Decarbonizing heavy-duty transport is the most difficult part of transportation." The vehicles are to be used in Germany and the UK and will be integrated into the online retailer's network this year. According to Amazon, this is the largest order of electric trucks for the company to date. The 40-ton trucks are to be used in the medium-distance network between fulfillment centers, sorting centers and delivery bases.
The eActros 600 has a range of 500 kilometers and is therefore well suited to Amazon's delivery network, according to Marschner. To support the use of the trucks, Amazon is building 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 legally prescribed breaks for drivers," explains Marschner. The order is part of Amazon's voluntary commitment to achieve net-zero emissions at all sites by 2040.