Mercedes-Benz eEconic municipal vehicle rolls off production line

The eEconic is designed to meet customers’ need for quiet, clean and safe logistics and waste disposal solutions.. (Photo: Daimler Truck)

Daimler Truck has announced series production of the Mercedes-Benz eEconic at the Wörth am Rhein production facility in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The first of the battery-electric vehicles for municipal applications will be handed over to Urbaser A/S, a company in Denmark operating in the waste disposal sector.

According to Daimler, the eEconic was developed in collaboration with customers and, following extensive testing, began practical trials with end users in May 2022 before moving into series production.

Once the vehicle has been largely assembled, the vehicle moves on to the Future Truck Center, where iit will be equipped with electric drive components. (Photo: Daimler Truck)

“From the sketch to the finished vehicle, from the prototype to the production truck - now the time has come. With the eEconic, we are putting the first electrically powered and series-produced Mercedes-Benz Special Truck on the road,” commented Dr. Ralf Forcher, head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks. “The exchange with our customers has shown cities and municipalities want CO2-neutral vehicles for their fleets. Especially with regard to large cities, there is a need for quiet, clean and safe logistics and waste disposal solutions. And we offer just the right truck for this.”

The start of eEconic production marks the second series launch of a battery-electric truck at the facility. Production of the eActros for urban distribution transport began in October 2021.

“In the fall of 2021, we were given the go-ahead for series production of our electric trucks here at the Wörth plant with the eActros, and now we’re following up with the eEconic. This is made possible by our flexible production and our highly motivated team at the site, which has integrated the eEconic into line production in a very short time and is working hand in hand to meet the high quality demands of our customers,” stated Dr. Andreas Bachhofer, head of production and plant manager at the Wörth plant. “The start of production of the second electric truck here in Wörth shows once again that we are already in the middle of the transformation to new drive systems at the site.”

In several production steps, the high-voltage batteries and the charging unit, among other things, are installed. (Photo: Daimler Truck)

The eEconic will be manufactured in the existing Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks assembly line alongside trucks that will be powered by internal combustion engines. Once the vehicle has been largely assembled, the vehicle moves on to the Future Truck Center, where, like the eActros, it will be equipped with electric drive components, Daimler explained. In several production steps, the high-voltage batteries and the charging unit, among other things, will be installed. Once all high-voltage components have been assembled, the entire system can be put into operation and the truck is ready to be driven.

Featuring key technical specifications largely identical to those of the eActros, the eEconic is designed to cover the majority of typical waste collection routes operated by an Econic in a single shift without intermediary charging, Daimler stated. The electric drivetrain enables a level cab floor to be implemented for easy movement to exit from the cab through the folding door on the co-driver’s side. A modern and intuitive multimedia cockpit is a major upgrade from the conventional Econic model. For enhanced safety, the eEconic features standard Sideguard Assist S1R and the 5th generation Active Brake Assist emergency braking assistant.