Yahoo Autos Mercedes eEconic Expands EV Garbage Truck Market
Mercedes-Benz adds another electric commercial vehicle to its fleet, known as the eEconic.
Set to replace the combustion-powered Econic, the new EV is made for waste collection and is largely based on the existing eActros platform.
After extensive testing earlier this year, production has officially begun, and customers who pre-order will soon receive their quiet and zero-emissions garbage trucks.
As the first of the new eEconic commercial platforms rolls off the assembly line in Wörth, Germany, residents in Denmark will soon enjoy quiet and zero-emission waste collection. Daimler's latest commercial EV platform focuses on big city governments and waste collection. After extensive customer testing in May, the first production units will be acquired by Urbaser A/S, a waste management company in Copenhagen.
The eEconic is largely similar to Daimler's previously released eActros architecture and will be manufactured on the Mercedes Special Trucks assembly line. Following a basic chassis assembly, the shell will be sent to the Future Truck Center, where electric drive components and batteries are installed. Mercedes says the specifications of the eEconic are largely identical to that of the eActros, meaning we can expect a three or four-pack battery capacity of 315 or 420 kWh and 249 miles of range.
What makes the eEconic interesting is the ergonomic advances for potential users. Because the model employs an electric drivetrain, the cab floor is level and allows significantly easier in-and-out movement for the operator. This means waste collectors can more frequently exit from the folding passenger side door and out of the way of potentially dangerous traffic.
